Forbidden
by Kamiyashi
Summary: When Yami accidentally discovers where Kaiba works, it takes their rivalry and relationship to a new level. Prideshipping AU: YYxK/KxYY
1. Chapter 01: The Best Laid Plans

**Title: **_Forbidden_

**Summary: **When Yami accidentally discovers where Kaiba works, it takes their rivalry and relationship to a new level. AU fic.

**Pairing:** Yami x Kaiba, Kaiba x Yami

**Rating**: M for graphic lemons, sexual content, and mature language.

**Disclaimer:** _Yu-Gi-Oh!_ does not and never has belonged to me.

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**A/N:** There will be **lemons aplenty** in this fic, so you have been forewarned. In an unusual turn of events for me, it will primarily be Yami x Kaiba, although not exclusively. So for those who like Kaiba x Yami, don't lose hope, there's stuff in here for you, too.

Also, please note that **this is an AU fic** and there will be a lot of differences. Yami isn't from the Millennium Puzzle, there is no ancient Egypt connection, Gozaburo is still kicking around, and Duel Monsters and the Kaiba Corporation isn't quite what it used to be…

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**Chapter 01: The Best Laid Plans **

"Man, tonight is going to be _awesome_!" Jounouchi exclaimed to his friends as they waited for homeroom to start. "Yuugi, are you _sure_ you can't join us?"

Anzu scowled disapprovingly at Jounouchi in a semi-joking manner that made Yuugi blush a little at his girlfriend's reaction. "We'll still be there for your birthday dinner, Jounouchi-kun," Yuugi reassured his friend.

"Yeah, but later is when the _real_ fun begins," Jounouchi protested, unable to stop the perverse grin from appearing on his face. "Yami, you're still in, right? Since Honda apparently pussed out on me, too."

"Hey, it's not my fault my sister's babysitter canceled!" Honda defended himself, less than thrilled that he has been called out on a favor on such an important night.

Bracing himself on his hands as he reclined against his desk, Yami sounded amused as he confirmed, "Against my better judgment, yes."

Laughing loudly at his friend's answer, Jounouchi joked, "At least one of you manned up!"

"He's probably only going to make sure you don't do anything stupid," Anzu pointed out, causing Jounouchi to growl good-naturedly. "Besides, I fail to see how any of this 'makes you a man,' as you put it."

"Pfft, you just don't get it because you're a girl," Jounouchi said dismissively, earning him a huffy noise of indignation from Anzu.

"Jounouchi-kun," Yuugi said in a mildly reprimanding tone, even though he knew saying anything would be useless.

As Anzu started to defend herself in a flurry of annoyance, Jounouchi was distracted by a snort from the back of the classroom that instantly had him on edge. "And what the hell do you have to say about it, bastard?" Jounouchi loudly demanded, glaring at the source.

Kaiba merely arched an eyebrow as he lowered his book, his cold eyes regarding Jounouchi with disgust. "I almost find it amusing that you believe your plans will somehow change you from a mutt to a man," Kaiba insulted, smirking arrogantly when Honda had to hold Jounouchi back from an attempted assault.

Jounouchi's blood boiled with rage; he hated Kaiba Seto more than he was even capable of understanding. Kaiba's haughty attitude and demeanor never failed to piss Jounouchi off and he wanted to beat that smug bastard into a pulp more than anyone else in their school.

Blatantly ignoring Jounouchi's fevered ranting, Kaiba's gaze drifted over to Yami, subtly tracing up his lithe form until their eyes met. Icy glaciers were melted by crimson brightness into freezing blue flames and Kaiba's expression mirrored the shift of his interests. Ever since Yami had transferred to the school almost two years ago, he and Kaiba had a long-standing rivalry that spanned from academic efforts to sports and everything in between; it was always intense and exhilarating, even if the battles were pointless posturing at times.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you'll be going along to hold his leash," Kaiba sneered, chuckling when Jounouchi's indignation hit a new volume.

"Nor should I be surprised that you've taken an interest," Yami smoothly countered as he tilted his head to look back to get a better glimpse at Kaiba, a knowing look in his eyes.

Piggybacking on Yami's comment, Jounouchi all but shouted, "Yeah, what the fuck is your problem, asshole? Always telling us your opinion like we give a shit or something!"

Deliberately disregarding Jounouchi once more, Kaiba continued silently assessing Yami, his book completely forgotten. Yami's mere existence in his life served as nothing but irritation, but even though Kaiba was loathe to admit it, the teen helped liven up his day like few others had in the past. There was something almost ridiculously invigorating about sparing with Yami, whether it was verbally or physically; it was all far more enjoyable than it probably should have been.

Deciding that maintaining his silence any further would fuel suspicions, Kaiba retorted, "If you didn't give a shit, you wouldn't be getting so worked up, correct?"

The casual arrogance and vicious expression antagonized Jounouchi without even trying and he threatened, "I'll show you what worked up is," before attempting to lunge out of his seat at Kaiba.

Once again, Honda restrained his best friend and tried to rein him in with words and logic that were promptly ignored. He looked over to Yami for some assistance, but the crimson eyed teen's gaze was firmly trained on Kaiba, as per usual. Sighing to himself in irritation, he pleaded with his eyes at Yuugi and Anzu for some help, even as he tightened his grip and continued fighting to keep Jounouchi in his seat, dodging the occasional stray punch aimed his way in a bid for freedom.

The teacher's arrival into the classroom was largely ignored as everyone was paying more attention to the fight, but it was a sight that was far too common for her to get overly worked up about anymore. Nine years of teaching at Domino High School had desensitized her to random bouts of violence and she merely clapped her hands and loudly commanded, "That's enough of that, you two! Jounouchi-san, Kaiba-san, if you would please cease your morning rituals long enough for class to start, I would appreciate it."

Jounouchi growled in response as he spun around to face his teacher, ready to argue, "Hey, it's not _my_ fault that he's an asshole!"

"Language, Jounouchi-san," the teacher reminded him, although there was no power behind her tired tone as she began calling roll since things had quieted down somewhat.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Jounouchi muttered as he angrily crossed his arms over his chest. "Why don't you ever tell _him_ to shut his damn mouth?"

Yami saw that Kaiba had picked up his book and had resumed reading and he could only shake his head at the two. Pushing himself off of the desk, Yami took a seat behind it, deciding that things had calmed to the point that no further interventions were going to be needed. He swore he could almost feel Kaiba's eyes on him, waiting for some sort of reaction, but Yami ignored the sensation; there was no point in adding more fuel to that fire. Besides, what else was there to say?

Homeroom passed by quickly without further incident, something that everyone had learned not to taken for granted. Yuugi had lost count of how many times Jounouchi had been kicked out of class and sent to the principal's office for disrupting lessons.

As class was dismissed, Jounouchi made a pointed show of ignoring Kaiba and exiting from the door at the front of the classroom, something that earned him an eye roll he couldn't see. The immature part of Yami that always seemed to surface couldn't resist the urge to confront Kaiba and his friends could only shake their heads without understanding as he walked over to their nemesis' desk.

"You just can't help yourself, can you?" Yami asked Kaiba as he came to stand next to his desk, watching as the sitting teen packed away his book.

Standing up with a noisy scraping of chair against linoleum floor, Kaiba replied, "You're one to talk, aren't you?"

Keeping pace with Kaiba as they walked to their next class, Yami shrugged as he pointed out, "You don't do yourself any favors by provoking him, Kaiba."

Looking down at the shorter teen, Kaiba looked smug as he repeated a phrase he had used often in their past arguments, "Again, you say that like I care."

"I'm almost starting to think you _like_ riling him up," Yami challenged, smirking as he got a particularly vicious glare. "I mean, you must be getting _something_ out of it, otherwise—"

Cutting Yami off mid-sentence, Kaiba sarcastically shot back, "Oh yes, because I _live_ for that sort of bullshit to get me going."

"Could've fooled me," Yami replied with a grin, silently granting himself a victory point when he heard Kaiba sigh in irritation under his breath.

"That's done easily enough considering you _are_ a fool," Kaiba insulted in a cool tone as they rounded the corner and reached the staircase. "Not much of a challenge…"

"Hey, I am not and you damn well know it!" Yami exclaimed in protest, immediately pulled back into it by the slight. "You're the one getting your kicks out of antagonizing him!"

Shrugging, Kaiba argued, "That is merely your perception of things."

"And what would is your perception of it, oh great and mighty Kaiba?" Yami facetiously questioned.

Turning sharply and almost pinning Yami against the classroom door with the abruptness of his action, Kaiba murmured, "That you seem a hell of a lot more interested in me than your friend," smirking at the scarlet outrage that was so close to him in that moment.

"You would like that, wouldn't you?" Yami retorted, completely unfazed by the lack of distance between them that seemed to be growing smaller by the second.

"Maybe I would," Kaiba suggested in a low tone of voice that sent a shiver through Yami despite himself. It was moments like that when Yami felt an almost physical connection to his rival and everything else had ceased to matter in that moment as his everything was focused on the blue eyed teen in front of him that was so close they were almost touching.

"Is that so?" Yami murmured, getting ready to continue the verbal sparring match when they were both pulled from the moment by the sound of someone clearing their throat.

The pair looked up at the source of interruption and their history teacher was less than surprised at the mirroring looks of irritation on their faces. "While I'm sure this epic battle of wills is of the utmost importance," their teacher joked, "I would appreciate if you would leave it until the end of class."

"Hn," was Kaiba's only response as he pulled away, entering the classroom with only a final warning glance aimed at Yami, smirking when he received one in turn.

Ushering Yami into the classroom, the history teacher could only sigh as he shut the door behind him and tried to start class. It wasn't even worth reprimanding the duo for; it would almost be stranger if the two of them _weren't_ at odds with each other, given their almost legendary bouts of competition for every little thing.

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**A/N:** And so a new story begins. I really wanted to put this one up after I finished _Anywhen_, but I just couldn't wait. I'm excited for this story's potential and I hope that everyone enjoys this rare sidestep into AU territory.

It'll all start making sense in the next chapter, so I hope that you continue reading this! I can promise that this story will definitely earn its M rating, so you won't be disappointed in that area, either,

**NEXT CHAPTER: Untitled**

_A celebration of Jounouchi's birthday takes an unexpected turn when he and Yami make a shocking discovery about Kaiba._

The next chapter will be longer as the plot starts to develop further. I will do my best to get it posted on **Sunday, September 20th**, so please check back then! In the meantime, I would love to hear your thoughts on this latest story.


	2. Chapter 02: Less Than an Answer

**Chapter 02: Less Than an Answer**

Even though Yami had his reservations about Jounouchi's plans, he had to admit that his friend's enthusiasm was somewhat infectious. _So long as nothing _else_ is infectious, it should be okay, right?_ Yami tried to reassure himself, although it didn't do him much good.

"We should call Honda later and make fun of him for skipping," Jounouchi crowed as they walked along the dark streets that were lightened by the glaring artificial neon bulbs. "Dude, that guy is _never_ going to get laid at this rate!"

"Are you really sure about this?" Yami asked in a last attempt to get Jounouchi to reconsider an idea that was sure to end badly.

"You're not going to back out on me now, too?" Jounouchi groaned as he wrapped his arm around his friend's shoulders in an amiable way. "Come on, it'll be awesome, I promise. Besides, it would probably do you a lot of good, you know."'

Raising an eyebrow at the implication, Yami dryly questioned, "Good _how_?"

"You know, lighten you up some," Jounouchi replied with a laugh. "You're always so serious! That can't be good for you…"

Sighing quietly, Yami didn't try to defend himself as they continued walking the winding backstreets of Kabukichou, silently wondering if this was really such a good idea. _How did I ever let him talk me into this?_ Yami mentally groaned to himself, still hearing Yuugi's endless list of warnings in the back of his mind.

As Jounouchi continued to ramble on about all the benefits, Yami eventually interrupted, "So how did you hear about this place, anyway?"

"From one of my dad's friends, believe it or not," Jounouchi answered, completely unfazed by the sudden switch in conversations. "It's really genius when you think about it."

"It's not like it's a new idea or anything," Yami pointed out, wondering how much longer until they arrived.

"I meant the name," Jounouchi clarified. "If you didn't want someone to know, you could just say, 'Oh, I can't do that tonight. I have a late night meeting at Kaiba Corporation,' and no one would be any the wiser. Hey, do you think there's any relation to that asshole we go to school with?"

Yami shrugged, not really caring one way or another. "It could belong to an uncle or something?" Yami suggested, although he sounded somewhat uncertain. "Regardless if it's connected to someone he's related to or not, it's not like it has anything to do with him."

Looking down suspiciously at Yami, Jounouchi asked, "Are you defending that bastard?"

Holding back a sigh, Yami denied, "No, I'm not. I'm merely saying, the odds that it has anything to do with the Kaiba we know are pretty slim."

"Yeah, but it's not like Kaiba is a common name, right?" Jounouchi persisted, unwilling to give up his point. "I would never let the fucker live it down if he was related to someone who ran a brothel!"

"As I said before," Yami tried to explain with a level of patience that was quickly waning, "it has nothing to do with him even if it _is_ owned by a relative." Yami knew that even if Kaiba hadn't been adopted, he would probably still be making the same argument. "What benefit would there be in rubbing it in?"

"To see the look on that bastard's face!" Jounouchi exclaimed, laughing at the mere thought of it. "That would knock him down a peg or two, I bet!"

"First of all, I doubt it," Yami argued as they waited for the light to change on the street corner. "We both know he's too arrogant for something like that to shame him into silence or whatever."

Jounouchi frowned at the element of truth in his friend's words, but he said nothing as Yami continued, "And secondly, it gives him plenty of ammunition against you for actually _going_ to a place like this for that specific purpose, yeah?"

"Shit," Jounouchi swore, easily picturing the horribly embarrassing argument and point that Kaiba could have against him. "Damn it! Just once, just one fucking time I would like to have one up on him!"

"We both know that you would never be satisfied with only one victory," Yami reminded Jounouchi, knowing that their feud wouldn't end there or ever.

Not willing to concede his point so easily, Jounouchi merely muttered a few more derogatory explicative words toward Kaiba before rallying himself. "You know what? Fuck him! I'm not letting that bastard ruin tonight for us!" Jounouchi resolved, pumping his fist in the air for good measure.

"Yeah," Yami agreed, although with slightly less passion.

Before they could discuss things any further, Jounouchi spotted the out of place building and pointed it out to Yami. They were surrounded primarily by shady establishments boasting gambling halls, host clubs, massage parlors, and other things that Yami was perfectly content to stay ignorant of without any regret. Kaiba Corporation loomed larger than the rest, a giant glass monolith that resembled the office building its name reflected. "Well, at least it looks more tasteful than the rest of the area," Yami consoled himself, finding it odd that Jounouchi had picked that particular place above all the rest. He had thoroughly expected Jounouchi to find a cheap dive with easy women, so it was somewhat of a surprise to see a well lit place that didn't make his skin crawl in fear of disease.

Making an excited noise of agreement, Jounouchi led the way into the building, his eyes lighting up in perverse joy at the sight of three well-endowed women with curves in all of the right places awaiting them at the reception counter. Yami raised an eyebrow at their pastel colored wigs, but he said nothing as they welcomed in unison, "Welcome to Kaiba Corporation. What may we do for you this evening?"

"Oh, a man could get used to this," Jounouchi moaned in appreciation, not taking his eyes off the women before them. "I'm here for the birthday special and he's here to blow off some steam and not be so damn uptight."

Bristling at Jounouchi's comments, Yami growled a warning and sent a particularly stern glare at his friend who merely laughed it away. Before he could defend himself, the woman in the pink wig chirped, "Understood, sir. How long will you be staying?"

"Two hours each," Jounouchi answered with a boastful look at his supposed endurance, wondering what else would be in store for him once they got past the front desk.

"Two _hours_?" Yami repeated in shock. The level of class made Yami think it was going to be ridiculously expensive, especially since there were no posted prices, making him think of the old adage, "If you have to ask, you can't afford it."

"Don't worry about it," Jounouchi reassured Yami as he handed over a credit card, "it'll totally be worth it."

Sighing in resignation and wondering why the hell Jounouchi was paying for them both on his own birthday, Yami narrowed his eyes and said nothing as the woman in the lavender wig instructed, "Since this is your first time here, we will escort you to the conference area where you can see who you will be meeting with tonight."

A woman in a sea foam green wig walked out from behind the counter and gestured for them to follow her, which Jounouchi happily did, his eyes trained on her pert ass the whole way to the elevator. Yami was slightly more respectful, shoving his hands in the pockets of his leather pants as he walked with considerably less enthusiasm. _This has bad idea written all over it_, he mentally complained, realizing that he never should have agreed. It wasn't that he was opposed to the activities, but Yami knew he didn't have to pay someone to fuck him; he had enough standing offers as it was.

Silencing Anzu's annoying friendship speech about bonding that had started lecturing him, Yami ignored the veiled looks Jounouchi was giving him, instead training his crimson eyes on the closing elevator door. A perfectly manicured finger pushed the elevator button for the seventh floor and the woman explained, "We have something for every interest, so please let us know if there is something in particular you are looking for this evening."

"Anything with a huge rack and a tight ass," Jounouchi tastelessly specified, licking his lips in anticipation.

"That can be arranged, sir," the woman smoothly replied without so much as a blink of an eye and it made Yami wonder what she thought about the clientele.

The doors pinged open with a pleasant sound and they exited the elevator into a seemingly standard office hallway, lined with doors to what Yami assumed were various conference rooms. Giving a begrudging compliment to their dedication to the theme, Yami said nothing as they were led into the fifth room on the right, looking exactly like a high end executive meeting room. Touching the smooth and polished wood of the table as he sat down, Yami said nothing as they were each given books by the woman, who smiled at them professionally. "These are the company profiles of our employees, so please take some time to familiarize yourselves with them," she instructed in a way that made Yami wonder how many times the woman had been forced to say that. "When you have reached your decisions, please press the intercom button and we will send someone up to take you to the appropriate office."

"Thank you," Yami said with a level of formality that had Jounouchi scoffing.

As soon as the woman was out the door, Jounouchi lightly punched Yami's arm and teased, "Getting into character already?"

"It has nothing to do with that," Yami defended himself as he opened the book. "I just kind of feel bad for her, you know?"

"You shouldn't, she's probably paid more in a year than we'll ever make in a lifetime," Jounouchi said with a laugh as he opened the book to look at the various people available for his disposal.

"Speaking of which," Yami started to segue, trying to find a delicate way of broaching the subject of payment.

Realizing what his friend was trying to do, Jounouchi laughed as he waved off the concern. "Don't worry about it. Consider it my thanks for accompanying me."

"But it's your birthday," Yami protested.

"Yeah, but this is my gift," Jounouchi explained. "My dad's friend who told me about this place bet a trip here in a game of poker."

"And you won?" Yami asked, knowing how much his friend enjoyed card games, although his luck wavered radically.

"Hell yeah!" Jounouchi exclaimed with pride. "I told him I wanted four hours, thinking it would be an hour each for the four of us, but since it's just the two of us, it's more time for us and their loss, right? Enjoy it for what it is, man!"

Yami refocused himself on the various portraits of employees, finding it odd that there was a mix of both men and women included, given that the front desk was staffed entirely by females. _Well, they did say they catered to every interest_, Yami commented to himself as he flipped through the glossy pages, his eyes skimming over the pictures and code names.

"Yo, did you see Injection Fairy Lily on page eleven?" Jounouchi asked Yami, holding up his book and pointing at a rather slutty looking nurse. "Man, if our school nurse looked like that, I would get into fights more often so she could…"

Tuning out whatever fantasies Jounouchi was rambling about, Yami started paying more attention to the names of the people, some of them almost shockingly abstract. "I figured Harpie Lady on page twenty-four was more up your type," Yami absentmindedly muttered as he turned another page.

Yami heard Jounouchi rapidly flipping through pages and it was easy enough to tell when he found the buxom blonde because he made a loud cat call at her picture, _I probably owe that woman an apology_, Yami realized, offering her a silent one as Jounouchi set his mind on the buxom blonde.

Having made up his mind, Jounouchi tried to help his friend decide on a person. "What about the Black Magician Girl on the next page?" Jounouchi suggested.

"Too young," Yami immediately rejected, although he had been amused by the footnote that she was available for threesomes with the Black Magician.

Jounouchi continued offering different suggestions, but Yami continued at an unhurried pace, going through the book and dismissing everyone almost immediately. By the time he got to page thirty-seven, Jounouchi was whining that he wanted to get on by the rest of the night and by page forty-two, he was drumming his fingers impatiently on the table. Yami ignored it, but his mouth actually dropped open when he turned to the fifty-first page. Immediately trying to rein in his reaction before Jounouchi noticed, he cursed himself when his friend said, "Damn, someone must have really caught your eye," and started flipping to the page in his own book,

Jounouchi's immediate reaction was the same as Yami's, "Get the fuck out, that looks just like that bastard!"

Unable to comment, Yami stared at the striking likeness to Kaiba Seto that was labeled as Blue Eyes White Dragon; he thought the name was ridiculous, but it oddly fit. The man in the picture looked several years older than the Kaiba he knew, but Yami's mind was racing at the possibility that maybe he had been wrong in his assumption earlier. _Could he really be…?_ Yami wondered, but was unable to fully grasp the possibilities.

"Maybe it's his older brother or something? Cousin, maybe?" Jounouchi suggested, squinting at the picture as if that would somehow help him discern if it was really Kaiba or someone with a disturbing familial resemblance to him. "Oh god, I would never let that shithead live that down if that was the case! Can you imagine if that was really him, though? There's no way, but come on!"

"Only one way to find out," Yami said as he leaned over and pushed the intercom button.

Jounouchi's eyes widened in disbelief at his friend's words and he exclaimed, "You can't possibly be serious! You're really going to spend two hours with some guy because he looks like that asshole?"

"What can I say? I'm kinda curious," Yami justified his action, silently congratulating himself on finding a solution that didn't involve hooking up with a random prostitute.

"Well, once you get your answer, maybe they'll let you switch people," Jounouchi suggested. "You really should reconsider the Black Magician Girl, she was pretty cute."

"Mm," Yami agreed noncommittally, taking a final look at Kaiba's doppelganger before shutting the book.

Before Jounouchi could pursue the matter further, a woman in a turquoise wig walked into the room with the green haired girl from earlier. "I trust you have reached a decision?" one of the women asked in a honeyed tone.

"I think the Harpie Lady is the perfect birthday gift to unwrap," Jounouchi answered with a playful wink at the women.

The girl with turquoise hair led Jounouchi away and the sea foam green one patiently prompted, "And you, sir?"

Feeling ridiculous for saying, "Blue Eyes White Dragon," out loud, Yami didn't allow his discomfort to show as he was escorted to the elevator. The woman hit the button for the top floor and Yami wondered if the floors were ranked by popularity.

The ride up was a silent one and Yami frowned as a flutter of nervousness rushed through his veins. Questioning the intelligence of his decision, Yami wasn't given much time to regret his choice as the elevator doors opened and revealed another hallway that was much like the previous floors.

"It is the third door on the right," she informed Yami and he said a word of thanks before walking in that direction. He took a deep breath to calm himself before knocking, refusing to back down from the challenge.

It seemed like forever before the door opened and Yami's scarlet eyes were bright with shock at who stood on the other side waiting for him. For several heartbeats, the two teens stared at each other as they processed the appearance of one another and Yami had confirmation of Kaiba's identity the moment that all too familiar smirk appeared on his face as he leaned against the door frame. "I should have known you'd eventually end up here," Kaiba commented with an arrogance that left no doubts in Yami's mind.

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**A/N:** I know, I know, I'm a terrible person for leaving a cliffhanger such as this, but…

Oh, there's much more fun to be had in the future chapters, that's for certain!

I think it's important to note that the characterization is heavily influenced by the early manga versions of the characters. Yami and Kaiba were a lot more ruthless and Jounouchi and Honda were more rough and tumble violent types (although Honda was still a goody-two-shoes in charge of the Beautification Committee, so that's contradictions for you). Yuugi was much geekier and quiet, so I can see Anzu easily overriding him in a lot of situations. And Jounouchi's father was a drunken gambler, so this is tapping into that for the reason why he managed to gamble for the payment at his dad's poker game.

Another thing I want to emphasize is that this is **not** going to be the typical victim mentality with the brothel aspect. Kaiba will not be a simpering, abused creature in need of pity, nor will Yami be the abuser (and as a side note, you will never see that in any of my fics). There is a specific reason that this is not labeled as a hurt/comfort fic, so please keep that in mind. My intentions lie outside of those areas that others have covered in various degrees of interpretations.

**NEXT CHAPTER: Untitled**

_Running his hands along Yami's bare legs, Kaiba chided, "So are you leaving your shirt on for modesty or do you want me to take care of that, too?"_

This is the chapter that _starts_ the real reason this fic has an **M rating**, so please be aware of that if it is beyond your comfort zone.

I'm really touched that so many people already support this story and I hope you enjoy what's to come. Next update should be on **Sunday, September 27****th**, so I look forward to hearing your thoughts in the interim and in the future!


	3. Chapter 03: Hidden

**A/N:** Things are starting to get a **little steamy**, so you've been warned.

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_**Previously:**_

_It seemed like forever before the door opened and Yami's scarlet eyes were bright with shock at who stood on the other side waiting for him. For several heartbeats, the two teens stared at each other as they processed the appearance of one another and Yami had confirmation of Kaiba's identity the moment that all too familiar smirk appeared on his face as he leaned against the door frame. "I should have known you'd eventually end up here," Kaiba commented with an arrogance that left no doubts in Yami's mind._

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**Chapter 03: Hidden  
**

"What's that supposed to mean?" Yami shot back, not liking the implication.

Standing out of the way to grant Yami entrance, Kaiba shut the door behind them as he explained, "Since you're so obsessed with me, it is the only logical outcome."

"_I'm_ obsessed?" Yami repeated indignantly. "You're one to talk!"

"And yet you don't deny it," Kaiba retorted as he walked further into his room.

"Neither do you," Yami retorted, crossing his arms over his chest as he took a defensive stance.

Shrugging at the observation, Kaiba chose to comment, "At least the mutt's comment makes more sense now."

There was nothing Yami could say to that, not even when Kaiba added, "As if getting fucked would somehow make that idiot a man…"

Trying to calm his temper, Yami casually looked around the room, which looked like a glorified penthouse suite at a luxurious business hotel. It was sparsely furnished with two oversized chairs, two nightstands, and a huge bed, all of which seemed small next to the floor to ceiling length windows that overlooked the city. Kaiba didn't look out of place in the room with his business suit, appearing every inch the businessman that would have worked at a place like Kaiba Corporation had it been a real company.

"So how do you explain this?" Yami asked, needing an answer.

"What's there to explain?" Kaiba replied, not willing to get into the reasons why he was working in such a capacity.

"What are you doing in a place like this?"

"That is none of your business," Kaiba coolly responded, his eyes narrowing in displeasure at being asked such a thing.

When Yami started to address Kaiba by name, he was sharply cut off with a rude, "Don't call me that here!"

"Do you really expect me to call you by that ridiculous name in the book?" Yami asked.

"Most settle shortening it to Dragon," Kaiba replied with a shrug. It was one of the more demeaning parts of the job in Kaiba's opinion, but he would never confess such a thing to Yami. Upon seeing Yami's frown, Kaiba couldn't help but smirk perversely and provoke the normally uptight teen. "After all, it's rather difficult to moan the whole name in the middle of…_things_."

Yami's cheeks flushed without his permission, but he refused to acknowledge his discomfort over the subject. "I'm not calling you that either," Yami decided, finding the whole thing ridiculous.

"As long as you don't call me by my other name, I really don't care," Kaiba said as he deftly undid his cufflinks.

Watching the nimble movements of Kaiba's fingers for a moment, Yami finally insisted, "I just don't get it," as he awkwardly shifted on his feet, wondering whether he should walk over to the windows to sit by them in the chairs or remain where he was.

"Get what? Why it's hard to moan something as awkward as—"

"No!" Yami interrupted, wishing the blush would disappear from his cheeks. "I don't get why you're here."

"Because I work here," Kaiba dryly responded as he took off his suit jacket and let it fall to the floor. "I should think that was rather obvious."

Clamping down on his annoyance with Kaiba's attempts at dodging his questions, Yami said through gritted teeth, "Yes, but what isn't obvious is _why_ you're working here."

Walking over to Yami and coming to a stop before him, Kaiba asked, "What difference does it make to you? Why should you care about what I do with my spare time?"

"This isn't you!" Yami answered, his mind trying to understand how someone as prideful as Kaiba could stand to work in a brothel.

Staring down into Yami's unwavering gaze, Kaiba murmured, "And what would you know about that?" He started to undo the knot in his tie, waiting for an answer that never came. "What makes you so certain that this isn't, 'me,' as you say?"

"Because I know you," Yami replied without any hesitation.

Slowly pulling the tie free, Kaiba noticed the way it made Yami swallow hard as the fabric dropped to the floor. "Do you?" Kaiba challenged, his voice lowering in pitch as he wrapped one arm around Yami's waist and pulled him closer. "And how exactly do you _know_ me?"

The sudden feel of Kaiba's body pressed against his momentarily flustered Yami and he was unable to immediately answer the question. Realizing the source of his distraction, Yami pushed himself free of Kaiba's grasp and took a step back to put some distance between them. "Knock it off!" Yami growled, recognizing that Kaiba was probably only intending to try and find a way to change topics through diversion.

Laughing at Yami's obvious discomfort, Kaiba began unbuttoning his own shirt and his eyes were bright with amusement at the other's expense. Once Yami processed what Kaiba was actually doing, he managed to partially exclaim, "What the….!"

"I have no intention of answering your question," Kaiba said by way of explanation, slowly undoing another button, "so we're moving on."

"You don't just get to decide that we're moving on!" Yami objected, forcing himself to maintain eye contact instead of watching those slim fingers undo another button before sliding lower to the next one.

"If you want to pay someone to listen to your bullshit, you should have gone to a therapist," Kaiba told Yami, grinning viciously at the noise of agitation his words earned. "I'm not going to listen to your self-righteous protests for the next two hours, so save us both some time and shut up about it. That's not why you're here."

Once again, Yami was distracted by the sight of Kaiba shrugging out of the dress shirt, revealing a pale, toned figure that was slim in build without being feminine. "You don't honestly think I'm here for _that_, do you?" Yami demanded indignantly, refocusing his attention on those bright blue eyes.

"Considering how many people would fuck you for free, it would surprise me that you would resort to this," Kaiba admitted bluntly, refraining from undoing the button on his pants just yet. "Regardless if you're here just to keep an eye on that worthless mutt you call a friend or not, you've already paid, so—"

"You can't be serious!" Yami exclaimed in shock, his mind reeling at Kaiba's complete lack of objections. "I'm not expecting you to…you _know_…"

Reaching out once more and pulling Yami closer by his waist, Kaiba looked almost infuriatingly smug as he antagonized, "You're not backing down from a challenge, are you?"

Clenching his hands into tight fists at his side, Yami tried not to let himself get pulled into Kaiba's game. "It's not about that," Yami argued, although he didn't pull away this time. "There is no challenge!"

"Are you that confident in a victory?"

"A victory?" Yami repeated in disbelief. "This isn't a game or competition! There is no victory or winning in any of this."

"So says you," Kaiba retorted before lowering his head and languidly licking his way from the base of Yami's neck to his ear. "I would beg to differ, though."

The sensation of Kaiba's tongue on his skin effectively caused all of Yami's thoughts and counterpoints to come to a screeching halt and he took a deep breath as he tried to process what had just happened. "Did you just…?" he tried to ask, but failed to find the words in his shock.

"Hn, I never would have pegged you for the blushing virgin type," Kaiba insulted with a laugh, completely undeterred by Yami shoving him away with more force this time.

"What the hell is your problem?" Yami demanded, completely stunned by Kaiba's actions.

"That's almost cute," Kaiba cooed in a mocking tone, further incensing Yami.

Yami's words were lost in a huff of indignation, failing him when he needed them to defend himself. Finally gathering his wits about him, Yami managed, "No, it's not cute! None of this is!"

"We're not in the right room for that," Kaiba agreed, further confusing Yami.

Running his fingers through his tricolored hair in an attempt to calm himself, Yami refrained from pacing. "I just don't get this!"

"I suppose I should be grateful that you're not always this dense," Kaiba said with a chuckle. "You wouldn't be worthy of being my rival otherwise."

Whatever rant Yami was about to initiate disappeared with Kaiba's admission and it caused him to look up into those brilliant and calculating cerulean eyes. Oddly enough, Yami almost got the impression that it was a compliment of sorts, backhanded as it might have been. "It isn't about that right now," Yami finally commented softly, the scandalized scarlet dulling into a calm crimson.

Sensing Yami's resistance wearing down, Kaiba questioned, "Isn't it, though?"

"No, this isn't normal, isn't _like_ normal," Yami insisted.

"How?"

Gritting his teeth, Yami felt mortified as he ground out, "What challenge is there if you're obligated by money?"

Shrugging it off with the years of employment that had worn away his shame, Kaiba said, "So you just paid for the room."

Yami didn't know what he had been expecting, but it hadn't been that nonchalant response. "What are you saying?" Yami asked in a measured tone, once again crossing his arms over his chest to mask his discomfort.

"Oh, like you haven't thought about it before," Kaiba scoffed before smirking confidently.

It wasn't something that Yami had ever consciously considered, but it had been discussed in privacy with Yuugi and Anzu on more than one occasion about what was the source of their almost compulsive competitiveness with each other and no one else. "And you have?" Yami countered, feeling the heat creeping back into his cheeks once more.

Closing the distance between them with a seductive sway of his hips as he approached, Kaiba's voice was once again lowered by lust as he pressed closer to Yami and murmured, "I will not deny it." The reaction was instantaneous, the way Yami went ridged with a noise of shock as his boudreaux colored eyes went wider; it all made Kaiba feel powerful, to know that he could affect his sole rival in such a manner. "The thought of you moaning under me as I slowly demolish that obnoxious composure of yours in the most pleasurable way possible has crossed my mind once or twice before…"

Yami knew he should be deeply offended and incensed by Kaiba's comment, but it was almost beyond his comprehension. Against his will, an image of what Kaiba had described popped into Yami's head and his cheeks flushed an even deeper shade of embarrassment. It was only made worse when Kaiba leaned closer to tease in a sensuous tone, "You're thinking about it, aren't you?"

"Why are you doing this?" Yami asked, hating the breathy tone of his voice.

"Why don't you stop talking about it and let's do something about it, hm?" Kaiba suggested, running his tongue along the shell of Yami's ear.

The action sent a shiver through Yami and he struggled against the feelings it stirred up within him. "Because this is wrong," Yami protested, refusing to give in to the sensation. When he felt Kaiba's teeth pull gently on his earlobe, Yami had to bite back a moan as he clenched his hands into fists at his sides. "So wrong…"

Kaiba smirked victoriously when he heard the note of want creeping into Yami's voice and he knew he had almost won. "Do you really care?" Kaiba asked as he tilted Yami's head back slightly to make eye contact with him.

The look in Kaiba's eyes was so intense that it made it hard to think. "Yes," Yami answered, but it came out more as a moan than a protest because of the way Kaiba's fingers were gently stroking his neck.

"I don't believe you," Kaiba argued as he let his hand drift lower and under Yami's untucked shirt. "Not in the least…"

Yami took a shuddering breath as Kaiba's slim fingers brushed teasingly against his bare stomach, his mind still reeling at the suddenness of everything. "We're not doing this," he groaned, trying to ignore the touch and failing.

"Only because you won't shut up about it," Kaiba countered with a dark chuckle.

Forcing the distracting hand from under his shirt, Yami demanded, "And what about tomorrow?"

"What about it?" Kaiba asked with the slightest hint of annoyance over the delay.

"Are we just supposed to pretend that nothing happened?" Yami asked, carefully watching Kaiba for a reaction.

Instead of answering, Kaiba replied, "Does that bother you?"

Frowning in disapproval, Yami had to confess, "A little."

"This changes nothing," Kaiba reassured Yami, although there was the smallest part of him that was somewhat concerned about the potential for change in his rival's behavior. "So what are you so worried about? Or are you just concerned about the mutt's reaction or something?"

"Stop calling him that!" Yami snapped reflexively before calming once more. "And no, it's much more than that."

"Get over it, then," Kaiba told him gruffly, his irritation evident. It was the only warning Yami got before Kaiba started to kiss him, causing all other arguments to cease.

Yami would have assumed that a kiss under those circumstances would be brutal and demanding, but it was shockingly soft. He wanted to reject it, to rage against Kaiba's insolence, but…it was kind of _nice_. When Yami felt Kaiba's tongue seeking entrance, he hesitated only for a moment before granting permission with a breathy sigh. Only then did things start to escalate as it turned into a battle for dominance.

Unbeknownst to Yami, Kaiba was using the opportunity to back them closer to the bed in order to speed things up a little; they had already wasted so much time with pointless discussions. His fingers blindly sought out Yami's belt and undid it with practiced ease before making quick work of his pants button. Kaiba was halfway done with the zipper before Yami made a rather undignified squeak of distress and stopped him. "What are you doing?" he demanded, all too aware of the blush that seemed to be a permanent condition upon entering the room.

"Taking off your pants," Kaiba answered truthfully, irked by having to state the obvious.

"What? No!" Yami protested, but it was already too late. Kaiba had already worked them halfway off of Yami's hips, smug in the knowledge that he had caused his rival to get worked up into a state of arousal despite his continual refusal.

Gently nudging Yami back, the teen fell back onto the bed in a sitting position when his knees hit the edge. Yami watched with barely masked horror as Kaiba knelt before him to slide the pants off the rest of the way, scowling at the boots that prevented them from coming off completely. Kaiba took off Yami's shoes, thus allowing for the pants to join them where they were cast aside with the socks.

Running his hands along Yami's bare legs, Kaiba chided, "So are you leaving your shirt on for modesty or do you want me to take care of that, too?"

Yami could recognize that they were past the point of no return and he bit his lower lip as he waffled in indecision while looking down at Kaiba. It was impossible to hide his half-hard member that was slowly being encouraged to life by Kaiba's ministrations and Yami mentally cursed himself yet again for agreeing to go through with Jounouchi's idea. "You're really serious about this, aren't you?" Yami asked in a quiet voice, the slightest bit of trepidation visible in his uncertain crimson eyes.

In that moment, Yami looked almost unbearably vulnerable to Kaiba and he found himself absentmindedly stroking his rival's thigh as if to reassure him somehow. There were countless smartass answers Kaiba could have chosen, but that look in Yami's eyes stopped him; he could question why later. Instead, Kaiba chose to simply reply, "Yes."

There was no doubt in Kaiba's eyes that Yami could see and he could almost swear that there was a flicker of genuine desire in those blue depths. Taking a deep breath and hoping that he didn't hate himself for his decision later, Yami slowly stripped out of his shirt by way of consent and tossed it aside, shivering at the way it made Kaiba's gaze light up in an almost pleased and predatory manner.

* * *

**A/N:** I'm being unbearable with these cliffhangers, aren't I?

"_Oh, I'm going to enjoy this," Kaiba murmured, very much aware of how his words caused Yami to shudder. _

Next chapter goes up on **Sunday, October 4th**, so you'll get a little more satisfaction then! I'm so glad that everyone is enjoying the story thus far and I've loved hearing your range of reactions! Thanks for all of the fantastic reviews; they truly mean the world to me!


	4. Chapter 04: Deeper

**A/N:** This chapter contains **a** **high lime content** between Yami and Kaiba, so consider yourself warned. The lemons are just around the corner, I promise.

* * *

**Chapter 04: Deeper  
**

When Yami took off his shirt and cast it aside with a vaguely bashful expression that was backed by determination, Kaiba gave himself the victory. Kaiba hadn't been lying when he said that he had imagined Yami in sexual situations, but he had understated the amount of times the thought had crossed his mind. In some ways, Yami would be his ultimate conquest and Kaiba licked his lips in anticipation as he looked up at his rival. Yes, he would have rather it be under different circumstances, but Kaiba wasn't one to let an opportunity to go to waste—especially not _this_ opportunity.

Sensing Yami's nervousness, Kaiba placed a placating kiss on Yami's inner thigh, enjoying the way it felt to have those muscles tighten in response. He placed another one above it and was pleased when Yami instinctually spread his legs a little wider to accommodate Kaiba. Making a quiet murmur of approval, Kaiba ran one of his hands up Yami's opposite leg, stalling for time as he considered his options; with such short notice, it was hard to narrow down a rather lengthy list of ways he had imagined making his rival moan.

Although he had consented, Yami was still uncertain about what he should be doing. It was beyond surreal to see his rival kneeling between his legs, kissing him in a way that made his member twitch at the promise of things to come. Out of habit, Yami started to say, "Kai—ahhh!"

When Kaiba heard Yami about to call him by name, he nipped lightly on the thigh before him in reproach and chuckled at the startled way it was interrupted. "What did I tell you?" Kaiba reminded Yami, stopping what he was doing to look up into crimson uncertainty that was tinted with indignation.

"You didn't have to bite me," Yami muttered as he crossed his arms over his chest, uncertain of what else to do with his hands.

"It's not like I left a mark," Kaiba defended himself as he stood. Keenly aware of Yami's eyes watching his every movement, Kaiba undid the button of his pants and pulled the zipper down before sliding them off with a seductive sway of his hips.

Yami was unable to turn away from the blatant display and he felt his mouth go dry at the sight of Kaiba's prominent arousal. He could feel his own respond in turn, stiffening at the realization that he had been responsible for it. Yami couldn't take his eyes off of him and his heart started beating just that much faster when Kaiba instructed, "Move further back on the bed."

Initially balking at the command, Yami obeyed without comment and slid further back on the bed toward the headboard. Yami's eyes followed Kaiba's every movement as he approached the bed and knelt onto it gracefully. As Kaiba sensuously moved up Yami's body on his hands and knees, it eventually forced the teen to lie on his back. Kaiba paused when he was finally face to face with Yami, relishing the flushed cheeks and quick breathing that he had caused. Lowering himself slightly, Kaiba claimed another kiss, this one more aggressive than the last. Yami responded with less hesitation this time, thoroughly enjoying what felt so forbidden and rapidly losing his inhibitions.

Bracing himself on one hand, Kaiba let his other one start wandering down Yami's body. Yami's breath hitched at the sensation and it broke the kiss, causing Kaiba to raise an eyebrow at the reaction. The sensitivity was surprising, but not unwelcomed; Kaiba was more than happy to explore and exploit that fact. Instead of initiating another kiss, Kaiba shifted down and began to caress Yami with his hands and lips. Yami squirmed slightly under the attention, not quite sure what to make of the feeling. It was only when Kaiba began to kiss and tease one of Yami's nipples that he got a muffled vocal reaction and he was determined to hear more.

Yami never would have expected that to be an erogenous zone, but as Kaiba continued to lathe attention on one while stroking the other, he was forced to concede that it felt good no matter how strange he found the concept. When Kaiba lightly captured the nub between his teeth and applied the slightest amount of pressure, Yami's hips jerked in response as a shaky sigh escaped. Brushing up against Kaiba's arousal in addition to the feeling of his nipples being toyed with was wearing down what little resistance he had left and he found himself saying without thought, "Kai—ahhh! Damn it! Stop biting me every time I—"

Narrowing his eyes in displeasure at Yami's continual insistence to use his name, Kaiba interrupted, "Then stop trying to call me that." Interestingly enough, he had felt Yami's length harden further upon the nip and it made him wonder about his rival's preferences.

Grumbling indistinctly in annoyance, Yami resolved himself to respect Kaiba's wishes, difficult as it was for him. Kaiba didn't give him long to dwell on the subject because he decided to mirror his treatment on the opposite nipple, blowing on it softly and watching the chills rise on tan skinned. It was in such stark contrast to his own pale skin and he couldn't help but appreciate the aesthetics of Yami's exoticism compared to his. There was undoubtedly some Western ancestry in Kaiba given his striking blue eyes, fair coloration, and brunette hair that clearly weren't Japanese in origin; he was one exotic amongst many at the brothel, but now was not the time for such things.

Deciding to move on, Kaiba began trailing kisses down Yami's chest to his stomach. He was able to feel the panting rise and fall of Yami's breath, although he could tell that his rival was trying—and failing—to regulate his reaction. Kaiba wouldn't be satisfied until he had demolished Yami's composure completely and he began to trace the outline of Yami's right hipbone with his tongue before lightly suckling on it.

It was becoming harder for Yami to focus as Kaiba continued his languid worshipping with his mouth and fingers. A moan got caught in his throat as Kaiba once again switched to the opposite side, finding it ticklish at first and then strangely gratifying. Yami didn't want to get caught up in the moment, but it was a losing battle as Kaiba progressed and became bolder in his approach.

He failed to hold in the cry that was desperate to get out when Kaiba lightly trailed his fingers along Yami's member for the first time. Yami unintentionally thrust into Kaiba's hand and he swore when he felt the puff of silent laughter against his skin. "_What_?" Yami growled, jerking away from Kaiba's ticklish touch on his sides.

"I always wondered about this," Kaiba confessed, letting his fingers stray to the tricolored patch of hair at the base of Yami's cock that was a perfect match to the rest of his hair.

"Why would you wonder about my—" Yami started to ask, but interrupted himself with a gasp when Kaiba ran his thumb over the tip of his cock.

"Oh, I'm going to enjoy this," Kaiba murmured, very much aware of how his words caused Yami to shudder.

Yami started to question why, but Kaiba applied more pressure to his touch, although he kept the pace slow. There was no way that Kaiba would allow things to be rushed in such a manner.

The comment was highly embarrassing to Yami and if he was in a better state of mind, he might have questioned just how long Kaiba had thought of him in such a way. However, coherent thoughts were becoming few and far between as his hormones took complete control and Yami wasn't exactly objecting to it. Sensations were easily starting to rule over senses and Yami could only give himself over to it; the moment was now and the future was a distant thought.

Although Yami was a rather guarded person, at times he was almost too easy to read; Kaiba had the interpretation of his signals down to a fine art after years of facing off against each other. Kaiba could feel the exact moment when Yami surrendered, could hear it in the softest of sighs that escaped past those lush lips that could distract him as easily with kissing as with words. Smirking to himself with his success, Kaiba decided a reward was in order and he readjusted his position once again.

Yami was unprepared for the feeling of Kaiba's tongue on his member and he made a sound caught somewhere between confusion and pleasure. Kaiba licked his way from base to tip and then back down again before taking it completely into his mouth. The wet warmth of his mouth was intense and Yami had to force himself not to thrust into it as Kaiba started moving in earnest.

Using his tongue in conjunction with the right amount of pressure, Kaiba slowly started to pick up speed as he bobbed his head while subtly encouraging Yami to spread his legs a little further apart. Yami grasped at the sheets out of the need to touch something, his breathing now completely ragged as he tried to maintain some semblance of control.

Disappointed with the reaction, Kaiba stepped things up and moaned around the interned cock, instantly getting a gratifying loud gasp out of Yami. He wasted no time in deep throating Yami, holding down his hips when they tried to thrust instinctually, but Kaiba didn't let it stop him from continuing.

It was a level of pleasure that Yami was unaccustomed to and he arched his back with a sexually frustrated growl of need—because he didn't just want more, he _needed_ more. Completely enraptured by the sensation, Yami unthinkingly moved his hands from the sheets to entangle in Kaiba's hair.

The simple touch startled Kaiba and he spared a look up at Yami, fully taking in the way his rival was writhing because of him. Kaiba's male pride was swelling in the most literal of senses, the sight of Yami like that making him feel almost impossibly hard. The feeling of Yami's slender fingers carding through his hair pleased Kaiba and he moaned in genuine appreciation, his eyes closing momentarily as he focused on the feeling; it was rare for him to actually relish a touch like that.

The slight tensing of Yami's muscles warned Kaiba of his rival's impending release and he encouraged it by reaching down to fondle previously neglected balls. It made Yami gasp; he was incapable of anything else other than mindlessly enjoying the warmth that was spreading through him. A sound suspiciously like a whimper escaped from him when two fingers strayed to stroke against his perineum and Yami knew that he couldn't hold out much longer.

He tried to express that, but it only came out as broken words and shameless moans before it was too late. Yami came with a wordless shout and Kaiba swallowed the release, milking the spent member for all it was worth before letting it fall free from his mouth. Licking his lips clean of any remnants, Kaiba sat up and watched as Yami tried to catch his breath, deciding that the sight of his flushed and satiated rival was very much appealing. It made him want to know what Yami looked like in the throes of a passionate fuck and Kaiba was forced to clamp down on that desire for his own good.

Yami softly moaned in the afterglow of feelings, subtly stretching as he returned to awareness with the pleasant thrum of satiation running through him. Only then did he realize that Kaiba was watching him and Yami shifted awkwardly as he hesitantly met the intense blue gaze that was trained on him. "Uhm…" Yami started to say, but there were no words.

Kaiba let his eyes trail over Yami's body and his mouth quirked up at the way his rival worried his lower lip out of his nervousness. It was incredibly empowering to know he could fluster Yami in such a way and Kaiba wondered how that could work to his benefit in the future. "Come on," Kaiba ordered, gesturing for Yami to join him.

Sitting up with a self-conscious scowl, Yami didn't immediately comply, causing Kaiba to shrug and say, "Suit yourself," as he turned around to walk away.

The action completely puzzled Yami and he hastened to follow, unable to keep his eyes from straying down Kaiba's back to stare at his shapely ass. His gaze lingered on the sight longer than it needed to and Yami felt the faintest flutter of guilt that made him look away. The feeling of the floor changed from the softest of carpets to the coldest of marble as they left the bedroom and entered the bathroom and Yami shivered.

Kaiba said nothing as he opened the door to the shower and turned on the water, waiting for it to warm up before stepping in fully. Yami took the open door as an invitation and followed Kaiba in, the sound of it closing behind him echoing with a finality that made him nervous. He fidgeted with his hands as he looked to Kaiba for guidance on what to do next and the silence was broken only by the sound of the water hitting the floor as the steam rose between them.

Finally Kaiba chuckled in a rich, low tone that sent a shiver through Yami and reached out to pull his rival closer. "Isn't it a little late for that sort of behavior?" Kaiba chastised, letting his fingers follow the trail on Yami's torso mapped out by the water.

Shuddering at the feelings coursing through his over sensitized body, Yami's eyes widened as he brushed against Kaiba's erection. The only indication Kaiba gave was a sharp intake of breath and Yami became curious despite himself. "What sort of behavior?" Yami questioned, tentatively reaching out with his fingers to touch Kaiba's chest.

Raising an eyebrow at the forwardness of contact, Kaiba watched with interest as Yami's hands started to slide down to rest on his hips. "You tell me," Kaiba replied, although it wasn't much of an answer. "I am merely observing."

"Observing?" Yami repeated as his fingers slowly started to drift lower still.

"Mm," Kaiba confirmed, his answer turning into a moan as Yami finally brought himself to touch his much neglected member. It emboldened Yami and he went from teasing touches to tentative strokes, glancing up at Kaiba through dampened bangs almost shyly.

Pleased at the turn of events, Kaiba rewarded Yami by fondling his ass and it earned him a gasp that echoed in the shower in the most pleasing of ways. Needing more, Kaiba murmured lowly in Yami's ear, "I won't break."

The feeling of Kaiba's hands kneading his ass and the sound of his voice so close to his ear momentarily distracted Yami. Finally realizing what Kaiba was saying, Yami applied more pressure as he started to speed up his movements. Kaiba bucked into the touch with a groan, kissing Yami's neck as he let his fingers stray to the tempting cleft of his ass. The thought of turning Yami around and pounding into him from behind was so tempting to Kaiba, but he allowed himself to be satisfied with the attention he was receiving.

Yami was startled by the fingers running over his entrance and he tried to move away from the touch, causing Kaiba to stop kissing his neck and look at him with amusement. "No?" Kaiba asked, his fingers retreating with a reassuring squeeze of Yami's ass.

"No," Yami gasped, wondering if he had always been that sensitive there or if it was new.

"Maybe next time," Kaiba murmured with a knowing smirk.

"Next time?" Yami repeated incredulously, his eyes going wide in shock.

Laughing at the reaction, Kaiba claimed Yami's lips in a kiss instead of answering with words. Yami resisted at first, but found himself giving in even as he continued his ministrations on Kaiba; hygiene was the further thing from his mind at the moment. The kiss broke apart when Kaiba came with a low moan, spilling his seed all over Yami's fist and stomach, which was washed away by the water.

Neither of them said anything, but their bodies were still pressed closely together, sharing the warmth of the water. Eventually Kaiba reminded Yami, "You should probably get going soon."

"But we didn't actually—" Yami started to protest before he abruptly stopped talking and flushed a deep scarlet that complimented his eyes.

Satisfied that Yami was properly cleaned, Kaiba reached behind him and turned off the water. "Did you want to?" Kaiba asked, his voice quietly echoing in the confines of the now silent shower stall.

"I—what? No, I—I mean, I should probably—you're right, I should probably go," Yami stuttered as he detangled himself from Kaiba's grasp and stepped out of the shower.

Frowning slightly at the awkward reaction, Kaiba followed Yami and grabbed two towels, handing one over and using the other on himself. Yami accepted it and started to dry himself, grateful for something to do with his hands. He made a particular effort to dry his hair thoroughly, hoping that Jounouchi wouldn't question it, before finally wrapping it securely around his waist.

When Yami finally dared to look up, Kaiba bluntly questioned, "Do you regret it?"

"Y-no, I…it's just—shit, I don't know," Yami muttered, sighing in frustration. "It's just…"

"It's just…?" Kaiba prompted.

"This doesn't…bother you?" Yami asked, his expression hardening as he searched Kaiba's for an unspoken answer.

Evenly meeting Yami's questioning gaze, Kaiba answered, "The only thing that bothers me is the thought of you acting like this changes anything between us."

"But it has!" Yami insisted, embarrassed by his own emphatic tone.

Standing close to Yami once more and caressing his cheek, Kaiba clarified, "Fine, acting like this _negatively_ changes anything between us."

Resisting the urge to lean into the touch, Yami had to question, "You don't think it has?"

"That depends entirely on you, doesn't it?" Kaiba replied, letting his hand drop to his side.

For the briefest moment, Yami almost thought he saw a flash of nervous sadness in those blue depths, but that couldn't possibly be right. Still, Yami felt something tug at him in an almost painful manner and he started to whisper, "Ka—"

Interrupting Yami with an abrupt kiss, it was softened from its initial roughness as it progressed. Yami entangled his fingers in still damp brunette hair, sighing into the kiss as Kaiba's fingers lightly trailed down his back. The simple touch set his nerves on fire and Yami felt a stirring of desire that they didn't have time for. "I guess that's better than biting me," Yami teased, self-consciously moving his hand away from Kaiba's hair.

Nipping lightly at Yami's lower lip to prove a point, Kaiba retorted, "Considering how much you keep trying to moan my name, it seems that I'll have to think of some other alternatives."

Shoving at Kaiba's chest in disapproval, Yami was unable to hold back his own chuckle. "Yeah, yeah, very funny," Yami said sarcastically before turning around and walking out of the bathroom.

"Who said anything about funny?" Kaiba asked as he followed Yami into the bedroom. "It's the truth."

Rolling his eyes at that, Yami collected his clothes from where they had been strewn about, tossing Kaiba's to him as well. Kaiba caught them, despite being distracted by the sight of Yami bent over in a towel and all of the perverse thoughts that went along with it. Dropping his things onto the bed, Kaiba opted to stay in his towel as he watched Yami change back into his clothes.

Shoving his hands into his pockets when he was finished, Yami's shoulders were hunched forward as he mumbled, "So, uhm…now…?"

Glancing at the clock on the nightstand out of the corner of his eye, Kaiba saw that they had but a few scant minutes left before Yami's time was up and someone came to collect him. "You leave," Kaiba told him, the words harsh, but his tone wasn't unkind.

"Right," Yami said with a heavy sigh, "yeah…"

Disliking the awkwardness of the moment, Kaiba reprimanded, "Don't start that." Scarlet eyes flashed with an indignation that was almost reassuring in some ways. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay," Yami replied, averting his gaze to the floor as he tried to compose himself.

Weakening in his resolve, Kaiba approached Yami and tilted his rival's head back to allow for eye contact. "It'll be fine," Kaiba promised, reassuring Yami as much as himself.

A knock on the door signaled the end of their time and Kaiba impulsively stole one more kiss before stepping away.

There had been something almost desperate about the action and it puzzled Yami; it was just one more thing amongst the countless others that had happened in the room for him to think about later. "Good night," Yami said softly, feeling too foolish to settle for a goodbye.

"Night," Kaiba returned, never taking his eyes off of Yami as his rival opened the door and finally exited without another word or glance.

Only after the door shut did Kaiba allow himself to run his fingers through his hair in agitation as he whispered, "Shit," to the surrounding silence. He wasn't certain of the specific moment, but things had suddenly become a lot more complicated.

_Tomorrow should be interesting_, he thought to himself as he turned and made his way back into the bathroom, deciding a cold shower was necessary to help clear his mind of such unnecessary thoughts.

* * *

Yami used the elevator trip to try and prepare what he needed to say to Jounouchi, but his mind was almost unforgivably blank—although that wasn't entirely true. The problem was that he was too preoccupied by everything that had happened to devote enough thought to Jounouchi. Sincerely hoping that his friend was going to be so excited about his own experience that he wouldn't want to talk about Kaiba, Yami exited the elevator and forced himself to smile when he saw that Jounouchi was waiting for him.

The woman in the sea foam green wig remained in the elevator and Yami wondered if she was going back up to Kaiba to check on him; it left him with a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach. He wasn't given long to dwell on it because Jounouchi excitedly rushed up to him and exclaimed, "This was seriously the best idea I've ever had, right? Damn, we should have done this _ages_ ago!"

Making a non-committal noise in response, Yami didn't resist as Jounouchi an arm around his shoulders. He was grateful that the position didn't allow Jounouchi to see him wince when asked, "So was it him or not?"

Trying to play it off, Yami countered, "I still don't understand what your fascination with it is. Even if it was, it's not like you're going to be able to use it against him without serious consequences that I'm sure you wouldn't want to deal with."

Language had never been Jounouchi's strong point and it was even worse after the satisfying sex that was still muddling his mind. "Whatever, you should totally try the Harpie Lady some time," Jounouchi responded, unwilling to think about Kaiba after the kind of night he was having. "Seriously, she has the most amazing tits _ever_."

"If they're the only ones you've ever seen in person like that, I don't think you can really say, 'ever,' ne?" Yami pointed out, allowing himself to be led out of Kaiba Corporation.

"Oh, I did _way_ more than see them," Jounouchi bragged, his tone immediately alerting Yami to the fact that he probably didn't want to know anything about the details.

Instead of commenting on it, Yami chose to say, "I'm glad you had fun."

"Fun doesn't even _begin_ to cover it," Jounouchi told Yami, finally releasing his grip on his friend. "So who did you end up switching to, anyway?"

"What makes you think I switched?" Yami asked, purposely keeping his tone light. He would never outright lie to his friend, but he wasn't above deception when it came to something as delicate as what had happened with Kaiba.

Jounouchi's first reaction was shock before his common sense kicked in and he bust out into raucous laughter. Yami's sense of humor tended toward the dry, sarcastic wit that sometimes went over Jounouchi's head and he assumed that his friend was having a good joke at his expense. Playfully punching Yami on the arm, Jounouchi said, "You're too damn funny sometimes, you know that?"

"So I've been told," Yami replied, grateful that it seemed he had successfully dodged the question for the moment.

Jounouchi continued his inane chatter about how he needed to either get a girlfriend or a part-time job so he could afford to come to Kaiba Corporation more often and Yami listened inattentively. He was too focused on the incident with Kaiba to focus on his friend, but Jounouchi didn't seem to notice as he they made their way home under the cover of night.

* * *

**A/N:** Sometimes just a little taste is better than divulging the entirety all at once. Trust me, the wait will be worth it.

I swear, I must have the cleanest Kaiba in the fandom. My Kaibas always manage to end up in the shower for some strange reason, ahaha. Don't expect this to change, either. There will be bathing aplenty here as well, but at least it's a sexy element, heh.

And hey, at least it wasn't a cliffhanger this time? That's a relief, right?

**NEXT CHAPTER: Untitled**

_It bothered Yami immensely and he accidentally whispered, "What have you done to me?"_

_Leaning forward and subtly shifting his hips against Yami's, Kaiba murmured, "Nothing," in his rival's ear before impishly adding, "__**yet**__."_

Mm, I am loving this version of Kaiba, but I think you all can tell that by now. Next update will go up on **Sunday, October 11th**, but it might be a little bit later into the evening depending on when I get home. It is such a relief that this has been so well received by all of you and I'm so grateful for your encouraging (and often humorous) reviews!


	5. Chapter 05: Something Else

**Chapter 05: Something Else**

Yami stifled a yawn as he tried to seem as casual as possible while waiting for homeroom to start. He was overly aware of Kaiba's presence in the back of the room, although nothing was out of the ordinary in that sense. Kaiba was reading a book as per usual and ignoring the world around him; it was almost enough to make Yami think that the whole thing had been one really bizarre dream. Although the fact that Jounouchi kept casting furtive glances over his shoulder went a long way to disprove that theory. Resisting the urge to tell Jounouchi to knock it off, Yami tensely waited as the minutes passed.

"Honda, next time you're totally coming!" Jounouchi declared, punching his friend's arm for emphasis. "None of these pussy ass excuses that you have to babysit, got it?"

Growling low in his throat, Honda snapped, "It wasn't an excuse! Besides, maybe I was too busy with your sister to—"

Honda's words were interrupted by Jounouchi's fist and the rest of the Yuugi-tachi groaned at the predictable turn of events. Anzu immediately started to break it up with Yuugi as her backup, but Yami stayed out of the fray. He used the distraction to glance at Kaiba out of the corner of his eye and was shocked to find those piercing blue eyes focused intently on him. It made Yami's cheeks color with a blush and he looked away before he saw the knowing smirk on Kaiba's lips.

"Yo, tell him, Yami!" Jounouchi called out, interrupting the teen's train of thought.

"What?" Yami asked, having completely missed whatever turn the argument had taken.

The sound of a quiet chuckle set Jounouchi's nerves on edge and instead of addressing his friend, he yelled at Kaiba, "Why do you always have something to say, asshole?"

"Why do you always seem to care so much about what I think, mutt?" Kaiba smoothly challenged, his eyes flickering over to Yami's for the briefest of moments.

Anxious that the conversation could easily take a turn for the worst, Yami tried to intervene with a placating, "Come on, it's not—"

"No!" Jounouchi all but shouted, refusing to let the issue slide so easily. "I'm tired of this stuck up prick always thinking that he's god or something. Besides, you wouldn't be acting so high and mighty if everyone knew that—"

"Jounouchi, that's enough!" Yami sharply reprimanded his friend, causing both Jounouchi and Kaiba to widen their eyes in shock.

Jounouchi looked at Yami suspiciously, his mind working rapidly to try and figure out if there was something else going on because of what had happened last night. "Are you defending him?" Jounouchi demanded in the most serious of tones.

"As if I needed to be defended," Kaiba scoffed, earning him a pointed look from Yami that clearly implied he wasn't helping any. "Especially against the likes of someone like you."

Honda took careful stock of the situation and realized something larger was going on, but he wasn't quite sure what or why. Sighing to himself and bracing himself for the punch he knew would immediately be thrown his way, Honda asked loudly in an attempt to distract Jounouchi, "So is that a yes about your sister?"

Kaiba was immediately forgotten about as Jounouchi's protective streak toward his sister kicked in and he whipped around to try and assault his friend. The duo grappled for a bit, words and fists flying with equal fierceness. Yami once again looked back to Kaiba with a silent warning, although the returning smirk he received sent a chill through the teen.

Any further arguments were staved off with the appearance of their homeroom teacher, who immediately started trying to restore order over the class. It was a most welcome reprieve for Yami who could have sworn he felt Kaiba watching his every movement.

* * *

When homeroom was dismissed, Jounouchi angrily stormed out of the room to go to his next class with the rest of the Yuugi-tachi in tow. Yami groaned internally, knowing that lunch was probably going to be a disaster after such an explosive homeroom and if it wasn't so cowardly, he might have fabricated a reason about why he had to stay after math class and miss lunch.

That was a problem that could wait until later; the more immediate issue was waiting for him by the door, looking just as smug as ever. Yami approached with his own air of arrogant ease, but inside his heart was hammering nervously. "Subtle," Kaiba sarcastically complimented as he pushed himself off of the wall when Yami neared.

"Oh, shut up," Yami growled, still on edge. "You really don't help the situation any."

"I wasn't aware that I was supposed to be helping," Kaiba said with feigned innocence as he led the way to their next class.

"You know what I mean," Yami snapped as he tightened his grip on his bookbag strap out of irritation.

Completely unfazed, Kaiba continued insulting Jounouchi, "Besides, how much help do you really need with someone who is too dense to make the connection?"

Yami's jaw dropped in disbelief at how casually Kaiba mentioned such a private thing. "What makes you think that he didn't?" Yami asked as they rounded another corner and started to go up the stairs together.

"So you convinced him otherwise?" Kaiba guessed, looking smug with a victory that Yami refused to give him. "Covering your own ass, I suppose."

"No!" Yami angrily denied, getting more frustrated by the accusation and trying not to lose his cool.

As they neared the top, Yami was startled when Kaiba grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him to the side and out of the flow of students onto the top platform. No one paid them anything more than a cursory glance, being too bleary eyed from the early morning and focusing on getting to class, which was probably for the best.

Yami's breathing quickened as he was easily pinned against the wall and he felt an almost feverish chill run through him when Kaiba pressed close to him to question, "Would he even still be friends with you if he knew what we did last night?"

Heat flooded through Yami's veins and he struggled against the memories of what had transpired between himself and his rival the previous night. "Why are you doing this?" Yami demanded, annoyed with how breathless he sounded.

"You didn't answer my question," Kaiba pointed out with smugness.

"You didn't answer mine," Yami countered, despite the childishness of it.

Kaiba didn't immediately respond; instead he continued staring down at Yami with an increasing interest. The silent appraisal flustered Yami and it was becoming more difficult to hide that fact. How many times had they cornered each other like this without it being an issue? Why was it only now that Yami couldn't stop thinking about how it felt to be pressed so intimately close to Kaiba? It bothered Yami immensely and he accidentally whispered, "What have you done to me?"

Leaning forward and subtly shifting his hips against Yami's, Kaiba murmured, "Nothing," in his rival's ear before impishly adding, "_yet_."

The perverse promise made Yami inhale sharply and Kaiba pulled away with an overly pleased chuckle. Acting as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened, Kaiba reminded Yami, "We're going to be late at this rate," before pulling away.

Resolutely pushing himself off of the wall, Yami ordered himself to get control as he followed Kaiba out of the stairwell alcove. His mind was muddled by it all and he had to ignore the memories that were clamoring to be relived and reenacted.

Easily catching up with Kaiba and unwilling to let him have the last word, Yami warned, "You can't keep provoking him—especially on _that_ topic."

"Worried he's going to say something stupid?" Kaiba asked with a harsh laugh.

As much as Yami hated to badmouth his friend, it was merely a point of fact. Trying to be tactful, Yami said, "He doesn't think before he speaks when he gets worked up like that and—"

"That implies he thinks at all," Kaiba interjected, further incensing Yami.

"Kaiba!" Yami angrily growled, his crimson eyes filled with his ire.

Turning to face Yami when they were outside of their classroom, Kaiba quietly commented, "And here I thought I broke you of that habit."

Flushing a deep scarlet against his will, Yami muttered, "That was there," before his voice gained strength. "And that's not the point! The point is—"

"The point is that I can take care of myself," Kaiba interrupted to say, his voice still soft to avoid being heard by others. "If I didn't know any better, I would think that you were genuinely concerned for me."

"How could I not be? I mean, you're in a place like that and—"

For the first time that morning, Kaiba showed actual surprise, but he wasn't given the chance to pursue it further since the teacher interrupted with a, "Well, well. It almost seems like you're having a civilized discussion for once instead of an all out war. There's hope for a peace accord yet."

"Something like that," Kaiba replied with a false smile, humoring the clueless teacher.

Feeling absolutely out of his element with the rapid change of pace in moods, Yami sighed heavily in frustration before entering the classroom after the teacher. He was grateful that history was one of his better subjects, because he sincerely doubted he would be focusing on his lessons after a conversation like that.

* * *

**A/N:** I know that this one is a little slow and short in comparison to last week's, but the next chapter is going to be extra long and extra smutty, promise.

**NEXT CHAPTER**

_Continuing to kiss Yami's neck, Kaiba murmured, "Why can't we?" He shamelessly ran his fingers over Yami's entrance and he felt himself harden at the thought of burying himself in that tight, virginal warmth. "We still have time…"_

Even when Kaiba is an uke, he's still so dominating. Just can't seem to help himself, I guess. But this is definitely a **Yami x Kaiba lemon next weekend** coming up, despite my little snippet of a preview.

I'm loving your reviews, so thank you for gifting me with such wonderful comments and thoughts! As always, this authoress is humbled by your kindness and please look forward to the next chapter on **Sunday, October 18th**.


	6. Chapter 06: Furthermore

**A/N:** This chapter has an extremely **high** **lemon content**, so please be aware of that before proceeding. Of course, that's what most of you are here for, so enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter 06: Furthermore**

As Yami skulked into Kaiba Corporation under the cover of night, he felt an overwhelming sense of shame as the doors opened automatically to grant him entrance. He had tried to stay away, had tried to put the whole incident behind him, but nothing could distract Yami from the embarrassing questions he needed to ask and the humiliating desires he was suffering from now.

Temporarily putting it out of his mind, Yami approached the front desk and the four women bowed respectfully at him as they greeted in unison, "Welcome back, sir."

"Uh, thanks?" Yami hesitantly replied, keeping his voice low to minimize the echo in the spacious reception area.

All of the women smiled politely at him, which only served to embarrass Yami further. _What the hell am I doing here?_ Yami groaned internally, feeling incredibly foolish.

The woman in the pastel blue wig interrupted his internal grousing to prompt, "Are you here for another meeting with the same person, or would you like to schedule with someone else?"

"The same," Yami answered, the faintest blush coloring his cheeks

"How long do you expect the meeting to last?"

Not knowing the actual cost, Yami replied, "An hour," and hoped that it didn't deplete too much of his savings. He had a sizable trust fund after the death of his parents during an archeological dig, but he didn't exactly feel good for dipping into it for such purposes.

There was a rapid flurry of typing before the woman nodded and announced, "You're in luck, sir. He is available immediately and as a thank you for your return patronage, we're giving you an additional hour on the house."

"Oh, th-thank you," Yami stuttered, startled by the offer. _Maybe it's a standard deal?_ Yami wondered, although he thought it was a bit strange.

The transaction was over with a single swipe of his card and once again, the woman in the sea foam green wig led the way over to the elevator. Mumbling another word of appreciation, Yami quickly hurried after her where she was waiting in the elevator with a pleasant smile.

As the elevator began its rapid ascent to the top floor, Yami's heart was hammering frantically in his chest. _This is such a bad idea_, Yami fretted, although it was too late for regrets when the doors pinged open with a pleasant noise.

"It's the door directly at the end of the hallway," the woman told Yami, point to the door at the opposite end of the long corridor.

"Thanks," he replied with a small smile, finally daring to make eye contact. Her eyes were the same shade as her wig and he almost wanted to ask her if they were natural; he couldn't see the normal darker color peeking out from underneath the lenses.

"Sir?" she asked, tilting her head as she regarded him. "Is there something else I can help you with?"

Realizing that he probably had made her uncomfortable, Yami shook his head with a reassuring smile and a somewhat sheepish look. "No, I'm sorry," he apologized. "I just noticed your eye color. They're very striking, although I don't mean that in a weird way or anything, so please don't be offended!"

Covering her mouth as she quietly giggled, she said, "Thank you, sir. No offense is taken for a genuine compliment."

Feeling more than a little relieved, Yami thanked her once again before turning and walking down the long hallway. The door was a stylized traditional shouji door, but the rice paper seemed to be replaced with some sort of frosted glass. Taking a deep breath and trying to steady his nerves, Yami knocked before letting himself into the room and sliding the door closed behind him.

The room was nothing like the business hotel suite that Yami had been in last time; this was an authentic ryoukan style room, down to the tatami mats and bed roll off to the side of the room. Respectfully slipping off his shoes before stepping onto the tatami, Yami's breath caught when Kaiba slid open one of the shouji doors across from him and entered with a knowing smirk.

Yami was utterly entranced by the sight of Kaiba in a deep blue yukata that was slit far higher up on the leg than it needed to be, but no less tasteful for it. It was tied loosely to show off pale skin and the color of the yukata made Kaiba's eyes all the more brilliant. Kaiba allowed Yami his moment of appreciation, his ego purring under the look of desire he was inspiring. However, eventually the silence started to bore Kaiba and he decided that it was time to move things along.

Sauntering over to Yami, Kaiba waited until he was right next to the teen to murmur, "Like what you see?"

Swallowing hard and looking up to meet amused cerulean, Yami didn't know how to answer. The outfit and setting made Kaiba seem particularly exotic and beautiful—two words he never would have associated with his rival before. "Why are you in…?" Yami tried to ask, but it seemed that his coherent thoughts had abandoned him even earlier this time.

"Because the same thing every time would be boring," Kaiba explained with a particularly perverse smirk that sent a shiver of anticipation through Yami despite his discomfort.

"That makes sense," Yami commented absentmindedly, his embarrassment temporarily forgotten in the face of desire.

"I'm impressed, though," Kaiba airily commented as he took another step closer and tilted Yami's head back to initiate eye contact. "I figured it would take you longer to get over your righteous morals before coming back here again."

Flushing a deep scarlet that complimented his eyes, Yami mumbled, "Yeah, well…"

"Perhaps I should reward you further," Kaiba suggested as he leaned down and kissed Yami.

Although Yami wanted to ask Kaiba what he meant by, "Further," it became unimportant in comparison to the moment. Once again taking Yami by surprise, the kiss was slow and sensual, completely unhurried as Kaiba took his time exploring his claim. The languid pace filled Yami with a desire that fed off of his need for Kaiba, off of the countless imaginings that he had fantasized about over the past few days.

Pleased at the lack of resistance, Kaiba wrapped an arm around Yami's waist and held him close, deepening the kiss in the process. Normally he didn't waste time with such things, but it was fascinating to watch how quickly he could reduce his rival to wordless needs with such a simple thing. Besides, Yami was fairly skilled and it made Kaiba curious to know where he had gotten that experience. _Surely not that cheerleader_, Kaiba mentally scoffed, suckling on Yami's lower lip as he contemplated it. _And _it definitely_ couldn't be that worthless excuse for a mutt. That would be unforgivable…_

Unable to resist temptation, Yami hesitantly rested his hands on Kaiba's chest, letting one of them drift under the yukata's opening and touch the pale expanse. Making an appreciative noise of encouragement, Kaiba was pleased with Yami's boldness. _Maybe we'll get somewhere tonight after all_, he silently mused, having no complaints about the possibility. "Shall we move this elsewhere?" Kaiba suggested when they parted, amused by the desire filled crimson eyes that were staring up at him.

"To another room?" Yami asked in confusion, his hormones muddling his mind a bit.

"The bed," Kaiba corrected him, nodding his head in the general direction of the mat.

Shrugging for fear that his voice would betray him, Yami allowed himself to be led over to the futon that looked temptingly soft. Kaiba gracefully lowered himself down, completely unhindered by the fabric of his yukata and Yami was temporarily thrown off by the fact that even on his knees, his rival was almost as tall as him.

As Yami continued to look down at him with a contemplative expression, Kaiba stripped him of his shirt. Running slender fingers over tan skin, Kaiba leaned forward and kissed Yam's abdomen, chuckling at the way it made him suck in his breath in response. "Ticklish?" Kaiba questioned as he lightly trailed his fingers down Yami's sides.

"Unexpected," Yami clarified, unable to take his eyes off of Kaiba as he continued his light teasing. He didn't resist the urge to run his fingers through Kaiba's hair and it immediately made Yami pause because of his own forwardness, although he didn't remove his hands. "Should I not?"

The act lent a sense of false intimacy to their joining, but Kaiba wouldn't verbalize such a thing. "It's fine," Kaiba told him, although he refused to lean into the touch like a house pet. "You will find that there's very little I will object to."

The follow up comment made Yami frown and he questioned softly, "Very little that you want to object to or very little that you're _allowed_ to object to?"

"Which do you think?" Kaiba replied as he started to undo the button on Yami's pants.

"The latter," Yami answered truthfully as he stopped Kaiba from proceeding.

Irked by the delay and the display of concern, Kaiba sighed quietly as he tried to reason, "If I told you that I don't object to what's about to happen, would that make a difference?"

"How could you not?" Yami demanded, raising his voice in the process.

Using his height to his advantage, Kaiba reached up and made Yami bend down a little before enforcing a bruising kiss. "I'm telling you that I have no complaints about you," Kaiba clarified, looking deep into Yami's eyes in a bid for understanding.

"Why? Because I'm paying you?" Yami harshly accused, indignation flaring up inside of him.

"That has nothing to do with it," Kaiba denied, finally succeeding in undoing Yami's pants. Pulling them down in Yami's distraction, Kaiba languidly ran his fingers along the semi-hard member that was mere inches from his face. "The financial transaction plays no part in what's about to happen."

"I wish I could believe that," Yami mumbled with a heavy sigh, wondering for the umpteenth time why he thought coming back was a good idea.

Lightly groping Yami's ass, Kaiba continued, "So if I fucked you for free, would that make a difference?"

"No, because you would only be doing it to prove your point, which is no better," Yami retorted, his eyes hard with fierceness.

Laughing out of actual amusement, it lacked the normal sarcastic edge that Yami was accustomed to hearing; he found it kind of pleasing to listen to and was surprised by the fact. "You're absolutely impossible," Kaiba told Yami, still chuckling.

"That doesn't change the fact that I'm right," Yami shot back, knowing full well that it was the exact kind of thing that Kaiba would do.

Grinning with a certain amount of depravity, Kaiba gently tugged on Yami's hand, forcing them both to the bed. Yami was startled to find himself on top of Kaiba, having knocked him onto his back in the process—although how much of that was the teen's own doing, he couldn't be sure. Sitting up, Yami swallowed hard at the sight of Kaiba sprawled beneath him, wantonness personified into perfection. The obi had slid in the process and the yukata slid open even further, revealing more of Kaiba's pale chest and his long legs. It made some primitive instinct urge him to utterly ravish Kaiba and Yami struggled against it. Everything would be changed between them forever, although the persistent part of his mind argued that it already was, so what was the harm in pushing it further?

"You're thinking about it too long for a naked man," Kaiba finally announced before pulling Yami down for another demanding kiss, actively trying to persuade his rival's mind. His hands trailed down Yami's back to fondle his ass and Kaiba was once again filled with the urge to take his rival. Suppressing it as he had before, Kaiba sensuously ran his fingers up Yami's back, making his rival shiver in response.

Kaiba stopped when his hands were entangled in Yami's hair and he slid one forward to stroke a blush-tinged cheek. "If you were really as bothered by this as you're pretending, you wouldn't be here right now," Kaiba pointed out to Yami, tired of the delays that such pointless resistance was causing.

"I'm here for answers," Yami told him, somewhat distracted by the almost tender way that Kaiba was caressing his cheek.

Smirking as he moved his hand away from Yami's cheek and down his neck to his shoulder, Kaiba questioned, "About why you can't stop thinking about me?"

There was something so utterly seductive about Kaiba's tone and it took more effort to deny, "No," than Yami cared to admit to himself. "I want to know why you're here."

"For your pleasure," Kaiba murmured as he reached down and started to tease Yami's member to full hardness.

"That's not what I mean," Yami groaned as Kaiba continued working his length.

"Regardless, that's all I'm interested in," Kaiba replied, sounding vaguely annoyed. "If that's the only reason that you came here tonight, you're wasting your money and my time."

Once again, the feelings of shame over his alternative reason for going to Kaiba Corporation started to surface and Yami looked away, unable to maintain eye contact because of the inner conflict. Blue eyes grew brighter in triumph as Kaiba realized, "So you did come here for more than just an answer to that question."

"Try not to let it get to your ego," Yami muttered, still incapable of actually saying it out loud.

It was the closest thing that Kaiba knew he was going to get to an admission of purpose from Yami and he was more than willing to accept it as his victory. Instead of gloating about it as per usual, Kaiba started to stroke Yami in earnest as he encouraged, "Then enough words."

Part of Yami wanted to continue the fight against himself, but as he thrust into Kaiba's hand, he knew it was a lost cause. Instead of embarrassing himself any further, Yami shifted positions slightly and leaned forward to place a hesitant kiss on Kaiba's neck. The teen tilted his head back to give Yami better access and Kaiba started to slow down his own ministrations. After all, it would be counterproductive to have Yami cum before they had even got started.

Yami became bolder in his actions as he continued, sliding the yukata off of one of Kaiba's shoulders to expose more of him. He worshipped Kaiba's body as he had in his dreams, slowly exploring every inch of him with fingers, lips, and tongue, memorizing everything as he went. It was almost agonizingly slow torture for Kaiba who was used to things proceeding at a much faster pace and he arched into the contact as he made a soft sound of need that he hoped would encourage Yami to move on to other things.

Taking the hint, Yami undid the obi and only then did he push aside the folds of the yukata to completely reveal Kaiba. Yami immediately hardened further at the sight of Kaiba in such a sensual state of repose and he was unaware of how his scarlet eyes betrayed his deepest desire. The image gave Yami all sorts of depraved ideas about what he wanted to do to Kaiba in that moment, although he was still too entranced to take immediate action. The casual, arrogant tilt of Kaiba's head and his smug expression stirred Yami's desires rather than his ire and he could only stare in appreciation at his slender physique. Although Yami thought it would be prudent to completely remove the yukata and toss it aside with the rest of the clothes, there was a strange urge to leave it as it was, the sleeves sliding up Kaiba's arms and the rest of it pooling so beautifully beneath his entire body.

Once again allowing Yami to have his moment, Kaiba was intrigued by the range of emotions that his rival was openly displaying. It wasn't enough to completely distract Kaiba from his building need and he was about to provide some not-so-subtle encouragement when Yami took the initiative.

Continuing from where he had left off, Yami resumed his oral explorations of Kaiba's body, unaware of the fact that he was cataloging which places earned him the most reaction as if he would need the knowledge for future visits that he wasn't even sure should occur. It still wasn't enough and Yami wanted more, but he was uncertain of how to proceed; he was timid in his doubts.

Sensing Yami's indecisiveness, Kaiba reached one hand behind him to search under the pillow for what he had placed there earlier. His fingers found it quickly and he presented it to Yami, who looked completely startled by the appearance of the item. "What…?" he asked in a breathy voice, having been completely distracted by Kaiba's body.

"Did you not pay attention in health class?" Kaiba questioned derisively as he gestured for Yami to take it. "Surely you know what a condom is."

"Yeah, but," Yami started to protest, but he was interrupted by Kaiba opening the packet.

Instead of wasting time with more pointless conversations, Kaiba discarded the empty packet as he rolled the condom onto Yami. "Is it a problem?" Kaiba asked, subtly wiping his fingers off on his yukata to get rid of the lubricant that remained on him.

"Shouldn't I like…prepare you or something?" Yami mumbled, his cheeks once against flamed in his embarrassment. He had done enough research to humiliate himself in the process, but Yami at least understood enough that he didn't want to hurt Kaiba or seem unskilled.

"Not necessary," Kaiba assured him, having taken care of it earlier before Yami arrived.

Biting his lower lip in nervousness, Yami quietly questioned, "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Kaiba answered without hesitation, spreading his legs apart further to encourage Yami.

"About this?"

"_Yes_," Kaiba repeated with emphasis, running his fingers over his own entrance in invitation. "Now stop stalling!"

Growling low in his throat, Yami inhaled sharply when he felt Kaiba forcibly line him up and initiate the slightest penetration. Yami pushed away the interfering hands as he snapped, "I can do it myself!"

"Then prove it," Kaiba challenged in a seductive purr, his blue eyes full of arrogance and a hint of excitement.

"Do you always have to be this insufferable?" Yami demanded as he eased his way into Kaiba, his voice tight with the strain of his movement.

Kaiba just laughed, low and beautifully as Yami gradually became fully sheathed within him. "I hardly think that's important right now, is it?" Kaiba replied as he slowly exhaled.

"Oh fuck, no," Yami denied in a rush of words, hiding his face in the crook of Kaiba's neck as he tried to calm himself. It felt so unbelievably good and Yami found himself breathing heavier as he struggled to reign himself in; he would never forgive himself if he came to an embarrassing early end.

Gently running his fingers through Yami's tricolored hair, Kaiba tried to ignore the ticklish sensation of Yami's breath on his neck. He subtly readjusted his position and Yami took a shuddering gasp in response, causing Kaiba to smirk. Kaiba allowed a few moments for Yami to gather his bearings, but eventually he was forced to ask, "So are you going to lie there all night or are you going to move?"

Bracing himself on his hands to look up at Kaiba, Yami's eyes blazed with disapproval at those words. "Impatient much?" Yami retorted as he slowly slid out part of the way before pushing back in once more.

"Something like that," Kaiba replied, completely unfazed by the vaguely insulting tone. Instead he chose to enjoy the sensations that were finally beginning to pick up in pace, somewhat relieved that they were actually getting somewhere for once.

It felt great, but Yami still wanted more and he found himself instinctively guiding Kaiba's legs up a little higher, allowing him to go deeper with favorable results for them both. Kaiba wrapped his legs around Yami, freeing his rival's hands to do other things. Yami held onto Kaiba's hips for support and he began thrusting in earnest, pleased when he finally got a vocal reaction.

Kaiba quietly groaned from his need to be touched, but his training refused to let him ask for more than his partner was willing to give. He had already slipped in behavior because of Yami's identity, but Kaiba resolved to not do so again. Instead he arched up slightly to enhance his own pleasure, keening softly when he succeeded in having Yami brush against that place inside of him that made it all worth it.

Yami faltered for a moment when he heard Kaiba make such a sensuous sound and he thrust at the same angle to see if he could get the same result. He succeeded and Yami reveled in the moans he was earning and the way it made Kaiba toss his head back in enjoyment. It compelled him to lean forward and kiss Kaiba's bared throat and he felt his rival's straining erection brush against his stomach because of the shift in position. It made him feel bad momentarily, having been so focused on his own pleasure that he had ignored Kaiba's for the large part.

Deciding to remedy that, Yami reached between them and tentatively stroked Kaiba's member. Kaiba cried out in surprise and bucked hard into the touch even as Yami continued to thrust into him. "Should I stop?" Yami questioned, his voice deepened by lust.

"I'll never forgive you if you do," Kaiba replied with a growl, wrapping his arms around Yami's neck and embracing his rival completely.

"Understood," Yami said with a chuckle, adding more strength to his actions.

Only the sounds of their pleasure could be heard as they continued toward their releases, gradually becoming more vocal as they neared it. Yami succumbed first with a wordless shout before ensuring that Kaiba followed shortly thereafter, working his rival's length until he climaxed with a moan.

They remained still for a few moments, trying to compose themselves even as Yami grew soft within Kaiba. Yami felt oddly connected to Kaiba as they silently looked at each other, but finally he withdrew, feeling self-conscious over the action. Kaiba released Yami then, letting his limbs fall to the bed as he basked in the temporary afterglow of his release.

Yami hesitated on what to do next. Part of him wanted to do nothing more than lay down next to Kaiba, but the forwardness of the action bothered Yami. At the same time, his legs were protesting over remaining in the same position, but Yami's mental facilities were too occupied by the overwhelming feelings to provide other alternatives.

Kaiba had a momentary debate over whether or not to allow Yami into his sanctuary room and finally decided that his own need for it was too great. Besides, they had too much time to just lay there and not enough time for another full round, so it was as good an option as any. "Come on," Kaiba said as he got off the bed, gesturing for Yami to follow him as he shrugged out of the yukata and let it fall to the floor. He first led the way to a room off to the left, sliding open the door and stepping into a small bathroom that was far more modest than the one in the hotel suite room.

Yami didn't need to be told twice to clean himself and he did so discretely, politely ignoring while Kaiba did the same. Only after Kaiba cleared his throat did Yami turn around, a faint blush on his cheeks as he regarded his completely nude rival. Kaiba once again led the way out of the room and this time he walked over to the door Yami had seen him use earlier.

As the door was slid open, Yami gasped at the sight before him, completely in awe of what he was seeing. It led to an outdoor balcony that resembled an onsen, complete with a hotspring that looked incredibly inviting. A cool breeze brushed against Yami and he felt the chills rise on his skin as he continued to gape at the impossibility of a realistic onsen on top of a building in the middle of Kabukichou. He looked at Kaiba with a silent question, his mind still reeling in more ways than one.

"You should consider yourself lucky," Kaiba told Yami as he shut the door behind them and walked over to the onsen. "I never let anyone back here."

Instead of questioning what made Kaiba change his mind, Yami merely said, "Thanks," as he followed him. "I can't believe there's something like this up here."

As Kaiba eased himself into the steaming water, he sighed contentedly as he immediately relaxed. "It's great in the winter," Kaiba commented, "especially when it starts to snow lightly. Feels great on your skin when combined with the heat."

Yami hesitantly stepped into the warm water and sat down next to Kaiba, sighing much as his rival had. It felt amazing—even more so because of what they had just done. "I can imagine," Yami commented, thinking about how it would feel to have snow dusting around them, melting instantly on his heated skin upon contact.

They sat in companionable silence for some time, privately enjoying the experience as the wind brushed past them and provided a nice contrast to the hot water. Yami was the first to break the silence as he asked, "Is this really okay with you?"

Holding back a groan, Kaiba feigned ignorance as he questioned, "What? Letting you back here?"

"No, I mean…all of this," Yami softly clarified, grateful that his blush could now be mistaken for a reaction to the onsen.

"I'm obviously not the one with the issue," Kaiba retorted, sounding somewhat miffed and amused at the same time.

"I just…it's just…" Yami tried to explain, frowning at his failure to articulate his problem.

Sighing quietly, Kaiba found Yami's hand under the water and used it to pull his rival close. Much to his surprise, Yami ended up straddled over Kaiba's lap as he looked questioningly into blue eyes. "It's a little late for regrets, wouldn't you agree?" Kaiba asked, taking control of the conversation.

"It's not a regret, so much as it is…" Yami tried to say before trailing off into silence.

"Shame? Embarrassment? Disappointment? What?" Kaiba listed, never taking his eyes off of Yami's.

Shrugging and feeling horribly inadequate as a result, Yami mumbled, "I don't know, it's just weird."

"Did you enjoy it?" Kaiba questioned, smirking slightly because he already knew the answer. When he received a miserable nod, Kaiba laughed smugly. "Then what's the problem?"

Sometimes Yami didn't think he'd ever be able to properly explain his issue with what had been occurring between them. Part of the problem was that Yami wanted more, that it was becoming harder to remain satisfied with the way things had always been between them. It was all just so confusingly complicated and Yami didn't know what to do or say about the whole thing.

"Just accept it for what it is," Kaiba advised. "Stop overcomplicating things."

"Yeah, but what is it?" Yami questioned as he shifted slightly to relieve the pressure on his knees.

"Intriguing," Kaiba answered without hesitation, leaning forward and capturing Yami's lips in another kiss, swallowing the sound of surprise his actions caused. Kaiba thought it might even be a little addicting, but he would never admit such a thing out loud. It didn't stop him from running his hands along Yami's sides before lightly rubbing his thumbs over his rival's nipples until they pebbled under his touch.

Yami gasped at the sensation and he made the water slosh as he jerked in surprise at the touch. "Don't," Yami groaned, already feeling the stirring of a desire that he had given into once that night.

Kaiba merely chuckled before pulling Yami even closer in order to kiss his neck sensuously, making his rival writhe on top of him. "Why not?" Kaiba asked as he ran his hands down Yami's back to firmly grope his ass.

Yami tilted his head back with a gasp, closing his eyes in pleasure, even as he warned, "We can't."

Continuing to kiss Yami's neck, Kaiba murmured, "Why can't we?" He shamelessly ran his fingers over Yami's entrance and he felt himself harden at the thought of burying himself in that tight, virginal warmth. "We still have time…"

As soon as Yami started trying to answer, Kaiba moved one of his hands to the front and discovered that his rival was also getting hard. Kaiba immediately started to stroke Yami and he smirked when his rival leaned forward to rest his head on his shoulder with a shuddering sigh. He experienced an immense feeling of satisfaction when Yami reflexively started to kiss Kaiba's neck in response as he thrust into his fist; he loved knowing he could affect his rival so deeply.

"You still haven't answered me," Kaiba arrogantly reminded Yami, even as he slid his cock along the cleft of his rival's ass. It was far too tempting and Kaiba knew he was playing a dangerous game with his own desires, although it was beyond him why he was torturing himself in such a manner.

Yami instinctively thrust down on the feeling, shuddering at the sensation of Kaiba sensuously running his rigid member between his sensitive cheeks. They continued the mockery of a more sensuous act, never penetrating, but moving as if they were intimately connected. Yami was moaning loudly as he moved, uncaring of who might hear them as they continued. Sensations easily dominated thoughts and reason and Yami gave himself over completely, once again shamelessly enjoying the pleasure. Kaiba ran his thumb over Yami's slit and was unsurprised when his rival came for a second time that night, moaning lowly as he melted against his chest.

"So cruel," Yami groaned as he absentmindedly nuzzled Kaiba, knowing that it was going to be progressively harder to deny things later.

"Why cruel?" Kaiba questioned as he stilled his movements and wrapped his arms around Yami's waist in a loose embrace.

"Because you know it feels good," Yami muttered.

Chuckling at that, Kaiba replied, "You say that like it's a bad thing," as he brushed aside Yami's bangs that were sticking to his cheek.

Yami couldn't think about it anymore; he felt completely boneless and relaxed in the moment, feeling for all the world as if nothing could bother him in Kaiba's arms. Kaiba was surprised at how reassuring it was to have Yami resting against him like that; it would have been disturbing if it weren't so utterly comfortable. It was a rare moment of calm stillness in a place that never afforded him such an experience and it was enough to distract Kaiba from his hormones, despite the fact he was still hard. Once again, things seemed to have become more complicated, but Kaiba just didn't care; it could be dealt with later.

Eventually Yami started to move, because he recognized that if he didn't, he would fall asleep in Kaiba's arms and that would just be embarrassing. "I think the heat's getting to me," Yami muttered as he awkwardly got out of the onsen, wondering if that might be an excuse for his behavior.

"Weakling," Kaiba teased as he followed suit, smirking at the dirty look Yami gave him for the insult. Kaiba tossed a towel in Yami's direction to interrupt a rant and he began to dry himself off before wrapping it around his waist, although it offered no coverage for his erection.

"Hardly," Yami shot back as he walked over to where his clothes had been strewn about earlier. He quickly dressed, figuring that he was close to being out of time, and once again he felt self-conscious at being the only one dressed; it was made even worse because he could easily see how hard Kaiba was under the towel. He was overly aware of Kaiba's gaze on him and Yami scowled in annoyance. "What?"

Shrugging with a disinterested look, Kaiba denied, "Nothing."

Before Yami could say anything, there was a quiet knock on the door that startled him. Looking questioningly at Kaiba, Yami was surprised to find himself looking straight into blue eyes that seemed closer than he had been before.

Placing his hand against Yami's cheek in order to feel the heated blush, Kaiba softly said, "I'll see you tomorrow," before capturing a gentle kiss. Kaiba's instincts were yelling at him that it was a terrible idea, but he had acted before fully considering the issues; it was a most disturbing new trend when it came to Yami.

Yami melted further as he moaned, "Mmhm," into it, resting a hand on Kaiba's bare chest to balance himself. "Night."

Kaiba said nothing further as Yami left the room, taken away by the girl in the sea foam green wig that was essentially his own personal attendant. Running his fingers through his hair as he sighed quietly to the empty room, Kaiba returned to the onsen to soak further in the hopes that it would distract him from things best left alone—even if he had to take care of himself first.

* * *

**A/N:** Nice and long this time, ne? And now I've finally gotten to write my kimono!Kaiba in an onsen scene and I can quit trying to fit it into _Entangled_. Hopefully everyone else enjoyed it as much as I did. Because the boys have it bad and there's still more fun to come.

**NEXT CHAPTER**

_Yami didn't have an easy answer for that question and he looked irritably up at Kaiba, only to be completely disarmed by the almost playful look in those bright blue eyes. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Yami accused, suddenly struck by the realization._

"_**Immensely**__," Kaiba confirmed, enunciating the word in a sensuous way against the shell of Yami's ear in a way that made his rival shudder. "But not nearly as much as what we did last night…"_

That will have to wait for next week on **Sunday, October 25****th**, though. Please be sure to check back, then! In the meantime, I'm going to look forward to the reviews on this chapter, because I imagine there's going to be quite a lot of happy people over this one…


	7. Chapter 07: Exteriority

**Chapter 07: Exteriority**

Yami had been on edge all day, just waiting for something to happen. Homeroom had been a relatively quiet affair outside of the argument between Jounouchi and Honda over Shizuka. Kaiba had been almost suspiciously inconspicuous in their shared classes and hadn't said or done anything that might hint at what they had done the previous evening. It made Yami feel even worse, because obviously he was obsessing over something that was seemingly insignificant to Kaiba. Of course, why should it matter to Kaiba? After all, it was only his _job_. And yet, that thought left a terrible feeling at the pit of Yami's stomach that wasn't easy to ignore.

The final bell dismissing school for the day rang and it was a saving grace for Yami. He wanted nothing more than to go home and try to catch up on the sleep he had missed because he had been so distracted by the thoughts and memories of Kaiba the previous night. Blindly packing up, Yami could have swore when Kaiba came to stand by his desk, but he maintained his silence until he was finished. Only then did Yami stand up and ask in a neutral tone, "Yes?"

Standing closer than he needed to, Kaiba couldn't keep the knowing smirk off of his face as he casually commented, "You seem tired."

"Since when did you care?" Yami muttered as he made his way to his locker to get the rest of his things, trying to seem as disinterested as Kaiba had been all day. It was becoming exceedingly difficult to maintain an unaffected demeanor as Kaiba followed him, but Yami did his best to hide his jumbled emotions.

Chuckling to himself in private amusement, Kaiba waited until they were at the lockers to say, "I was just wondering what kept you up all night."

The innuendo brought a blush to Yami's cheeks as he tried unsuccessfully to repress the memories that were starting to stir. "You would know," Yami snapped as he glared at Kaiba, throwing his things into his locker angrily.

"Indeed," Kaiba purred seductively, not doing anything to help quell Yami's errant desires.

The tone of Kaiba's voice sent an involuntary shiver through Yami and he jumped when he felt his rival brush against him as he leaned against the lockers. "Will you stop?" Yami requested, sounding exasperated.

"That's not what you wanted last night," Kaiba murmured, pleased with the soft groan of protest that had an undercurrent of need that escaped past Yami's lips. "You seemed to want more, actually…"

"Damn it, Kaiba!" Yami all but yelled as he slammed his locker shut, but the sound was absorbed by the noisy throng of students in the halls. Turning to face Kaiba, Yami frowned in severe disapproval, although it didn't even seem to register with his rival. "Why are you doing this?"

Completely unfazed by Yami's outburst, Kaiba shrugged as he countered, "Why are you so bothered by it?"

Yami didn't have an easy answer for that question and he looked irritably up at Kaiba, only to be completely disarmed by the almost playful look in those bright blue eyes. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Yami accused, suddenly struck by the realization.

"_Immensely_," Kaiba confirmed as he leaned closer, enunciating the word in a sensuous manner against the shell of Yami's ear in a way that made his rival shudder. "But not nearly as much as what we did last night…"

Yami was getting pulled into Kaiba's pace at a dangerous rate, once again feeling that connection between them and that growing insatiable need building up inside of him. It was a familiar feeling and yet completely new at the same time, enhanced by their previous experiences. He didn't understand why he was so drawn to his rival and what they had done last night only further complicated things for Yami and yet he wasn't entirely displeased. Kaiba was all too real and present and Yami's everything was clamoring for more, causing him to recklessly tilt his head as if offering silent permission without even being aware of it. Thus it came as a complete shock when the moment was broken by Jounouchi yelling, "What the fuck is going on here?"

Although Yami jumped guiltily, Kaiba maintained an unruffled disposition as he coolly responded, "We're being rudely interrupted," while looking over his rival's shoulder at Jounouchi.

Narrowing his eyes angrily, Jounouchi looked suspiciously between the two who were standing far closer than he deemed necessary before clarifying, "That's not what I'm talking about, asshole!"

"Jounouchi-kun," Yami tried to placate his friend as he turned around to face him, but to no avail.

"No, I want to know what's going on!" Jounouchi insisted, unable to shake the feeling that there was something else going on between the pair. "There's no reason for you two to be all…close and shit."

Yami was getting increasingly nervous about the direction of Jounouchi's questioning, but Kaiba took it completely in stride. Standing even closer to Yami and resisting the urge to touch him, Kaiba maintained eye contact with Jounouchi as he asked, "Does this…bother you?"

Unaware of the sensual way that Kaiba was moving his hips against Yami and flustering the shorter teen, Jounouchi simply noticed his friend's discomfort and physically separated them. "Yeah, it does," Jounouchi growled threateningly as he tried to unsuccessfully intimidate Kaiba, making sure to keep Yami behind him and out of harm.

Yami was annoyed by the treatment and he stepped to the side and out of Jounouchi's reach. He knew that his priority should be putting a stop to the argument before it got worse, but he wasn't given the chance to.

Smirking viciously in response to Yami's defiance to say behind his friend, Kaiba fully turned his attentions to Jounouchi and approached him like a predator cornering his prey. Getting closer than Jounouchi was comfortable with, Kaiba leaned in and murmured lowly in the teen's ear, "Are you _jealous_, mutt?"

Shoving Kaiba away, Jounouchi snapped, "No, I—"

"Your actions say otherwise," Kaiba interrupted to taunt.

Jounouchi's cheeks flushed in anger and Yami noticed the way his friend was tightening his hand into a fist as if preparing for an assault. Deciding to intervene, Yami subtly pulled Kaiba back and stepped in between the two feuding teens as he chastised, "Knock it off you two!"

Ignoring Yami, Jounouchi continued arguing over him, "Yo, what the fuck is your problem?"

"You," Kaiba decisively answered, taking a step closer to Yami under the guise of approaching Jounouchi. Yami inhaled sharply when he felt Kaiba brush against his ass, trying not to visibly react and tip off Jounouchi.

"Yeah? Well, tough shit! Deal with it!"

Sounding particularly arrogant, Kaiba predicted, "I sincerely doubt that you'd like the way I would, 'deal with it,' as you say," and it sent a perverse thrill through Yami despite the severity of the situation.

"Is that a threat?" Jounouchi demanded.

"It'll be a promise if you keep trying to interfere," Kaiba replied, his blue eyes taking on a steely glint.

It took a moment for the comment to process and Jounouchi questioned, "Interfere with _what_?"

Fearing that they were getting too close to the real issue of the brothel, Yami once again tried to curtail the conversation. "This is accomplishing nothing," Yami irritably interjected, making his presence known once again. "Aren't we supposed to be meeting up with Honda?"

"He can wait," Jounouchi decided, never taking his eyes off of Kaiba.

Disregarding Jounouchi, Kaiba dismissively said, "Do what you want. I have better things to do."

Yami's mind immediately started providing suggestive ideas of what else Kaiba could be doing and it all seemed to be perverted in nature. It distracted him from Jounouchi accusing Kaiba, "Running away?"

"No, I just see no reason to continue wasting my time with you," Kaiba countered, blocking out the barrage of insults his comment triggered. Instead he focused his attention on Yami with a knowing look. "As for you, I'll see you later."

Trying not to read too much into the phrase, Yami merely confirmed, "Yeah," and ignored the questions raised about the brothel visits and the heat that flared to life inside of him at the potential.

"This isn't over, asshole," Jounouchi called out after Kaiba walked away, too tall to completely blend in with the thinning crowd of departing students. Only when Kaiba turned the corner did Jounouchi look back to Yami. "Okay, that was fucking weird."

"Only because the two of you always blow things out of proportion and into a huge fight over nothing," Yami said as they started to walk in the opposite direction in search of Honda.

"He said that he would see you later," Jounouchi argued, still highly suspicious despite his trust in his friend.

"We have three classes together," Yami logically explained, hoping that Jounouchi would leave it alone. "Of course he'll see me later."

Frowning at the explanation, Jounouchi muttered, "It felt like more than that, man."

"You're reading too much into it," Yami dismissively stated, trying to get off of the topic that was causing his heart to hammer nervously.

Realizing that he was getting nowhere, Jounouchi irritably ruffled his hair as he questioned, "Doesn't it bother you?"

"That you two always argue? Yeah, it does," Yami answered, sensing an opportunity to guide the conversation in another direction.

Glancing over at his friend with a frown, Jounouchi couldn't tell if Yami was being serious or deliberately obtuse. "I meant how he was acting," Jounouchi clarified.

"He shouldn't have antagonized you," Yami conceded, carefully dodging the real issue, "but you didn't have to take his bait, either."

"What else was I supposed to do?" Jounouchi demanded. "Just let him keep going…doing whatever the hell he was doing to you?"

Flushing lightly at the unintended implication, Yami denied, "He wasn't doing anything to me, Jounouchi-kun."

"It sure as hell didn't look that way," Jounouchi muttered as they turned the corner, still not completely convinced.

"It's fine," Yami reassured him, relieved when they finally found Honda sweeping a classroom.

Choosing not to argue it further for once, Jounouchi let the subject drop as they entered the classroom. "Yo, Honda! You done yet?" Jounouchi greeted his friend.

"Yeah," Honda answered as he swept the last of the debris into the dustpan, glad to finally be finished. "As soon as I put this away, we can go." Nosaka Miho had already left for the day and his enthusiasm for the beautification committee waned with his crush's absence.

"Good, hurry up," Jounouchi encouraged in his own unique way. "We've got stuff to talk about."

Emptying the dustpan into the trashcan, Honda absentmindedly asked, "We do?"

"Yeah, man! _Big_ plans are in the works," Jounouchi informed his friend.

"There are?" Yami skeptically questioned, a feeling of dread forming in the pit of his stomach. "That's news to me."

Grinning roguishly, Jounouchi answered, "Oh, I think you already know."

Carefully making sure that his expression didn't give away his growing anxiety, Yami desperately wished to be wrong.

* * *

**A/N:** Jounouchi is just such an ass in my fics and I really have no idea why. This isn't quite the birthday fic I had would have intended for Kaiba, but he still had his own special brand of fun, ne?

Well, I think we can all tell what Jounouchi's planning for the three of them later. The next chapter is nice and long with another lemon in there for those of you who are still wanting.

**NEXT CHAPTER: Untitled**

_Although Kaiba's original intention had been to silence Yami with a kiss, his purpose quickly took an entirely different direction. Pressing Yami against the wall, Kaiba continued exploring that wet warmth with his tongue, imagining what it would feel like wrapped around his cock instead. Yami's fingers entangled in brunette hair as he gave himself over, unaware of the way he rocked his hips against Kaiba's thigh in an attempt for friction._

So something to look forward to on **Sunday, November 1st**, so please check back then! I can't believe I'm already over 100 reviews, so thank you for your enthusiastic responses! This authoress is greatly humbled by you all.


	8. Chapter 08: Learning

**A/N:** This is another **lemonrific** chapter, so please enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 08: Learning  
**

"Yo, I don't know why you're in such a bad mood," Jounouchi commented to Yami as they walked through the backstreets of Kabukichou. "It's not like you didn't have a great time last time."

Gritting his teeth as he clamped down on his irritation that was laced with an undercurrent of nervousness, Yami forced himself to sound as normal as possible as he explained, "I'm not in a bad mood."

"Even if you are, you won't be by the time you're finished tonight," Honda joked, highfiving Jounouchi as they shared a laugh.

"See? That's the spirit!" Jounouchi triumphantly exclaimed as he wrapped his arm around Honda's neck and gave him a playful noogie. "Even this idiot could figure that out, Yami."

Sighing softly to himself, Yami muttered, "It's not about that," but he doubted it would make a difference. What he was concerned about and what Jounouchi thought he was worrying over were two very separate things. "I've just got a lot of things on my mind."

"About who to pick this time?" Jounouchi guessed, nodding to himself in confirmation that he must be correct. "I'm totally with you on that one, man. I can't figure out if I want to go with the Harpie Lady again or try someone new. She was so damn good, but then again, I'm sure they all are, so…."

Making a noncommittal noise, Yami ignored Jounouchi filling Honda in on what girls were worthy of their perverse desires. He didn't want to be anywhere near Kaiba Corporation, especially not so soon after his encounter with Kaiba, but Yami didn't want to risk Jounouchi's curiosity causing a major incident. His fears weren't that far off base, since Jounouchi launched into a conversation with Honda, "And you're never going to believe how much this fucker looks like that asshole in class!"

Sounding harsher than he meant to, Yami groaned, "Will you stop with that already?" That was the real reason he had accompanied his friends; there was something in him that felt the undeniable and inexplicable urge to protect Kaiba, even if he didn't fully understand why.

Jounouchi merely laughed it off and stage whispered to Honda, "He's just embarrassed because he went to see for himself if it was that bastard—"

"Damn it, Jounouchi! Shut the hell up!" Yami growled, shooting his friend a fierce look that made Jounouchi gulp a little nervously. It was easy to forget that slightly wilder side of Yami; he was normally mild mannered, but Jounouchi had seen on more than one occasion how dangerous his friend could be when pushed.

"I'm just teasing, sheesh," Jounouchi reassured him, although he wisely dropped the matter. "No need to get all worked up about it. You know I'm just playing."

"Fine," Yami tersely conceded, less than pleased with the direction the conversation had taken.

"Besides, we're almost there," Jounouchi continued, trying to revive the jubilant spirit he had accidentally destroyed.

Honda and Jounouchi resumed their conversation, but Yami irritably kept quiet as he tried to calm himself. He knew that he was blowing things out of proportion because of his nerves and it wasn't fair to his friends, but he just couldn't settle his emotions or his doubts. Part of him almost wanted to seek someone new out just to prove a point, but Yami couldn't stand the thought of it. It was rapidly becoming apparent to him that he wasn't really interested in anyone else outside of Kaiba and Yami chose to focus on how best to handle the situation that was no doubt going to be awkward once they got inside the brothel.

* * *

Glumly staring at the book before him, Yami tried to at least pretend to be interested in the other employees of Kaiba Corporation as his friends excitedly pointed out women to each other. He had started at the back of the book and worked his way forward since he had never made it further than Kaiba's page. It was with a conscious effort that Yami skipped Kaiba's page, not wanting to trigger Jounouchi accidentally. The whole situation was proving to be more stressful than it was worth, especially because his mind couldn't stop questioning why Jounouchi had not been awarded any extra time for his return patronage. _Is that what Kaiba meant by rewarding me? Did he have something to do with that extra hour?_ Yami wondered, unaware of the way he was vacantly staring at the page in his distraction.

"So Valkyrie Alteste caught your eye this time?" Jounouchi questioned, interrupting Yami's Kaibacentric thoughts.

"Huh?" Yami inarticulately responded, causing both of his friends to laugh at him.

"I can't blame you," Jounouchi commented as he flipped to the woman's picture in his own book to show Honda. "She's got an awesome rack, although the armor concerns me a little, but hey, if that's your thing, more power to you, you know?"

Trying not to show his frustration, Yami simply ignored his friend's commentary. It was enough to make Yami actually look at the woman's picture, but she did nothing to stir his passions; she was merely pretty, even If it was in an over processed sort of a way. To him, the most interesting thing about her was her name and the fact she was available for a Valkyrie Embrace orgy with Valkyrie Soviet, Dritte, and Brunnhilde. _Where the hell do they get these names?_ Yami wondered, somewhat disturbed by the thought of four women in that context.

A quiet knock on the door interrupted the flow of conversation and Jounouchi nudged Honda with a knowing wink. Three women entered the room, all with their distinctive pastel wigs and trademark smiles, offering a melodious, "Have you reached your decision, sirs?"

Yami refrained from immediately replying, instead catching the attention of the always present sea foam green themed girl that he had always interacted with on previous visits. She gave him an acknowledging nod and a knowing smile that made Yami raise an eyebrow in response, curious about her reaction. Nothing further was exchanged between them as a woman in a lilac wig asked Honda, "So who would you like me to introduce you to?"

"Is Interjection Fairy Lily available?" he asked, sounding far politer than his previous commentary would have suggested.

Even as the woman confirmed the availability, Jounouchi was interrupting to ask, "I thought you were going with the Black Magician Girl?"

"I changed my mind," Honda explained before grinning impetuously. "Besides, Lily reminds me of your sister, so—"

"Oh, you are _so_ dead when we're done here! Then you're going to need a _real_ nurse, asshole!" Jounouchi threatened, but Honda merely laughed it off as he got up to leave with the woman who would escort him to his room. "Why does he have to always be so damn gross?"

This time the girl in the pink wig stepped forward and smiled beautifully at Jounouchi. "And where shall I escort you, sir?"

Even though he was still annoyed with his friend's comments about his sister, Jounouchi couldn't let it bother him when there was such a stunning woman in front of him. "Since he didn't go with the Black Magician Girl, I think I'll try her tonight," Jounouchi decided, determined to brag to Honda about what a great time he had missed by changing his mind last minute.

"I'm sorry, sir, but she is not available at the moment," the woman apologetically informed him. "Would you like to wait for an hour and a half until she is free or choose someone else?"

"Harpie Lady free?" Jounouchi asked, although he sounded a little disappointed.

"Yes, if you so desire," the girl replied.

Instead of wallowing in the lack of his first choice, Jounouchi joked, "Why settle for a girl when I can have a woman instead, right?"

The woman in the pink wig laughed politely behind her hand and Jounouchi followed her out of the room with a final wave over the shoulder at Yami. Once he was alone with the girl in the green wig, she softly stated, "Dragon-sama is free to see you, sir."

"And what makes you so certain that he's the one I'm here to see tonight?" Yami asked, although the answer was obvious enough, even to him. "I guess that's a stupid question, huh?"

"Forgive me for making such an assumption," the woman apologized with a formal bow, although her tone was still light with amusement.

Waving it away as he stood, Yami said, "Don't worry about it, I'm being ridiculous." He walked over to her and they exited the room and walked over to the elevators and waited for one to come to their level. "Are you allowed to tell me your name?"

"Ishi," she replied with a genuine smile before they entered the elevator that had finally arrived.

"Which kanji?" Yami asked, even though he was questioning whether that was her given name or her assumed one while working at the brothel.

"Whichever you prefer," she replied with an amused glint in her distinctive silver-green eyes, knowing her name could mean any number of things.

They rode up mostly in silence before Yami finally asked, "So can I call you that when you're around others, or should I not?"

"Whatever pleases you, sir," she smoothly responded, not the slightest hint of a blush on her pale cheeks at her innuendo.

Before the conversation could go any further, the doors opened on the top floor that was becoming a little too familiar for Yami's tastes. "He's the third door on the left tonight, sir."

Thanking her with a shy smile, Yami quickly composed himself before knocking on the door and entering the room, wondering what he would be in store for this time. He had not been expecting to walk into a classroom that was perfectly replicated with straight rows of desks that were all unoccupied save for one in the back of the room. Sitting in the same place he normally did in class, Kaiba was reading a book, seemingly disinterested in his visitor; the only noticeable change was the fact that the school uniform was a pristine white with a high Prussian color instead of the blue one that was used at Domino High School.

Remembering to shut the door behind him, Yami took a few steps into the room and waited for Kaiba to acknowledge him somehow. He wasn't kept waiting for long because Kaiba commented without looking up, "When I said, 'See you later,' I had assumed it would be Monday in class and not tonight."

"Are you complaining that I'm here?" Yami challenged, crossing his arms over his chest and feeling oddly out of place in his street clothes.

Finally setting his book down, Kaiba looked up at Yami with a smirk that immediately set Yami's nerves on fire. "No," Kaiba denied as he stood up and started to slowly walk over to Yami, "nor is it a surprise."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Yami demanded, his cheeks already starting to heat with the first flushes of embarrassment.

Sounding particularly arrogant, Kaiba goaded, "Admit it, you're addicted to me," as he closed the distance between them. Roughly wrapping an arm around Yami's waist and pulling him closer, Kaiba dominated an aggressive kiss as he started sensuously grinding against his rival to illustrate his next point. "To _this_."

"I will do no such thing!" Yami snapped, trying to hold his own against the furious pace that Kaiba was setting.

Nipping lightly at Yami's ear and chuckling at the resulting gasp, Kaiba reminded him, "The first step in overcoming a problem is admitting that you have one."

"My only problem is that I keep coming here," Yami muttered, even as he tilted his head instinctively to allow Kaiba's downward trailing kisses on his neck.

"You'd have a bigger problem if you stopped coming here," Kaiba pointed out before stripping Yami of his shirt.

"Oh, shut up," Yami groaned as Kaiba started lightly trailing his fingers along his now exposed torso. It felt too good for the simple contact that it was and Yami started to undo the buttons on Kaiba's uniform jacket. "And why does this look like the uniform that's used at Domino Middle School?"

"Because the guy who runs this place is a pervert," Kaiba whispered conspiratorially in Yami's ear, causing him to shiver at the proximity of the warm breath. "But that's hardly your main concern right now, ne?"

Yami's fingers faltered on the buttons he was trying to undo when Kaiba grimly groped his rapidly hardening erection and he instinctually bucked into the contact. "No," Yami agreed breathlessly, resuming his desperate actions to strip them both of their clothes.

Kaiba obliged Yami for the time being as they hurriedly removed each other's clothing, all while trying to decide which would be better. They could do it on one of the student desks, but balancing was such a precarious thing in a heated moment sometimes. The teacher's desk at the front of the room would give Yami a focal point to remember on Monday morning and every day thereafter; it was times like that Kaiba regretted not sitting in a place where he could see his rival's expression. Finally deciding that the teacher's desk was ideal, Kaiba started to maneuver them closer to it, the action completely unnoticed by an otherwise engrossed Yami.

When they were both completely naked, Yami sighed softly at the feeling of full body contact, unable to accept his dark secret that it was all too easy to be addicted to his rival. All thoughts of Jounouchi, Honda, and the awkward meeting afterward were banished from Yami's mind with Kaiba's touch and he was losing himself in every kiss and contact that he received.

An unintentional protest escaped from Yami's lips when Kaiba parted from him to situate himself on top of the teacher's desk, but he quickly followed and stood between his rival's legs. He instinctively found himself running his hands up Kaiba's strong thighs, hardening further as he remembered the way those legs had wrapped around him the previous night. Kaiba smirked at Yami's distant look and subtly reached over and opened up the top drawer to retrieve a condom, eager to get on with it. They didn't have a lot of time since he was restricted to a mere hour and Kaiba would be damned if he would waste a single minute. As he had the previous time, Kaiba skipped any possibly objections by putting it on Yami himself before spreading his legs further in silent invitation.

Hormones made it harder to complain and each encounter was making it harder to remember the reasons why he should be objecting. Kissing Kaiba as he slowly lowered him back into a horizontal position, Yami slowly entered him after a bit of careful positioning. Groaning with the effort, Yami didn't stop until he was completely sheathed inside of Kaiba, loving the tight feeling of muscles embracing him on the most intimate of levels.

Kaiba was pleased by the initiative and the continual decrease in protests from Yami and he was pleasantly surprised when his rival started to move with minimal delay. It was a bit faster, a bit harder than the last time and that suited Kaiba just fine. The wooden desk creaked in protest at their actions as they continued, Yami eventually picking up the pace until he was slamming hard enough into Kaiba to earn him the most sinful of sighs and whispered fragments of pleasured words.

Recognizing that it would all be over too soon if he kept up the same rate, Yami gradually began to slow down, shocked when it earned him a groan of displeasure from Kaiba. "And here I thought you were a quick study," Kaiba muttered as he tried to entice Yami into resuming his pace.

Slowly withdrawing to the tip before thrusting hard until he was fully sheathed, Yami pressed himself as close to Kaiba as possible to sexily murmur against his rival's neck, "I'd rather not be a quick finisher," before kissing it sensuously.

Kaiba's eyes took on almost predatory gleam as he forced Yami's head up to engage him in a hungry kiss, genuinely surprised by that side of his rival and immensely turned on by it all the same. "Can't have that now, can we?" Kaiba replied, arching up with a gasp when Yami started to lightly tease his members with feather light touches.

"It would be...most unacceptable," Yami agreed, adding more strength to his actions as he started to match his movements with the almost torturously slow thrust of his hips. He was amazed by the way Kaiba's body yielded so easily to him, yielded in ways that his rival never would otherwise. It was rare for Kaiba to vocalize anything more than his cynicism and critiques, so to hear him making such beautiful sounds of need was an amazing experience for Yami—all the more so because he knew he was responsible for them. "Fuck, it should not feel this good…"

Unable to resist, Kaiba tried again to convince Yami to speed things up again, "It would feel even better if you moved faster."

"Haha," Yami responded facetiously, knowing full well what Kaiba was attempting to accomplish.

The sexual frustration he was currently suffering from did not amuse or please Kaiba in the least and he switched tactics in the hope of getting some sort of relief. "Prove me wrong, then," Kaiba challenged as he thrust down hard to meet Yami's weak movement.

"As tempting as that idea is," Yami drawled as he once again started to pull out almost all of the way, "I'm rather enjoying this." There was something gratifying about watching Kaiba get worked up into such a state, although Yami was actually ready to move on as well.

"Bastard," Kaiba cursed under his breath, causing Yami to chuckle knowingly.

Recognizing that paybacks would be hell later unless he complied on some level, Yami gradually began to pick up the pace, becoming progressively louder, as did Kaiba. Yami was aware of the way that Kaiba's hands aimlessly explored his body, serving to further heighten the scarlet eyed teen's pleasure. His every sense was completely immersed in Kaiba and Yami didn't have a single complaint about it as he hurried to his end.

Yami wanted to hold out and last longer than Kaiba, but it proved to be too much and he gave in with a wordless moan. He continued his erratic thrusts as he pumped Kaiba's length and finally he was rewarded with the sight of his rival climaxing beneath him. It was a captivating visual to Yami, to witness the way Kaiba's whole body seemed to react to the release of pleasure as he writhed mindlessly. Only then did Yami pull out, feeling incredibly satiated and yet oddly longing for more.

It was the classroom environment that made Yami slip and start to address Kaiba by name, but he quickly caught himself, but not before earning a dirty look. Sheepishly apologizing, Yami sat down next to Kaiba, jumping slightly when the teen sat up and brushed shoulders against him. They sat in silence for a few moments, touching slightly as they stared at the blank whiteboard in front of them, but it started to get to Yami. There was an ineffable need to fill the silence with sound and he found himself commenting, "You should write something on there," as he gestured to the whiteboard.

"Like what? Welcome to Sex Ed 101?" Kaiba scoffed, finding it a ridiculous thought.

Bristling at the implied elementary level of learning, Yami tried not to read too much into the comment or the potential slight of his own unpolished skills. "I don't know, just something," Yami muttered, startled when Kaiba stood and caged him against the desk.

Leaning closer and trailing kisses along Yami's neck up to his ear, Kaiba suggested, "Or should I write, 'Dragon-sensei,' up there and just teach the class myself, hm?"

The sensuous timber of Kaiba's voice made Yami take a shuddering breath as his hands automatically found purchase on his rival's slender hips. "You aren't dressed for it," Yami pointed out, easily getting caught up in heat of the moment.

"I'm not dressed at all," Kaiba replied with a low laugh, gently biting Yami's earlobe and earning a soft groan from his all too willing captive.

"Obviously not," Yami muttered as he inadvertently pressed against Kaiba.

"But playing teacher is going to have to wait for another time," Kaiba said as he started to pull away, unable to resist adding, "much as I'd like to hear you moaning, 'sensei,' under me."

The latter part of the comment caused Yami to pause for a moment and he flushed deeply at the image his mind supplied of Kaiba thrusting into him as he writhed in pleasure on the desk. His member twitched in response to the mental stimulation and Yami shook his head to try and rid himself of the thought; it was unexpected to think of himself in the submissive position to Kaiba.

Raising an eyebrow at the startled look on Yami's face, Kaiba could easily guess what path his rival's thoughts had taken and he was quiet interested in it. "Care to share with the class what you're thinking?" Kaiba teased in mocking voice.

It was enough to snap Yami out of his accidental reverie and he offered a brusque, "_No_," as he got down and threw his condom in the trashcan next to the desk. Yami scowled as Kaiba chuckled at him, still embarrassed by his thoughts, but his rival wouldn't relent.

"No need to be shy about it," Kaiba encouraged as he pulled Yami closer, smirking. "Besides, I have a pretty good idea what it was…"

Shoving at Kaiba's chest with an indignant noise, Yami said, "Oh, shut up."

"You weren't thinking about me inside of you?" Kaiba questioned as his hands drifted down to Yami's ass to fondle it.

"Stop being ridiculous," Yami growled as he swatted Kaiba's hands away.

Grinning in victory, Kaiba commented, "You're not denying it."

"You…!" Yami protested in outrage, spluttering in his embarrassment.

"I'd be more than happy to show you," Kaiba murmured lowly in Yami's ear, causing his rival to gasp loudly as a shudder ran through him. "But, that will have to be for another time."

"Stop," Yami groaned as he broke free of the embrace, completely mortified by his body's betrayal.

Laughing quietly, Kaiba was satisfied that he had affected Yami so deeply. Gesturing for Yami to follow him, Kaiba led the way to another door in the back of the classroom, the only thing that was really out of place in the room. Entering into the room, it was enough to distract Yami from his embarrassment as he asked, "The locker room? _Really_?"

Shrugging as he walked through the miniature replica of a school locker room, Kaiba headed straight for the shower. "It's more useful than a regular school bathroom," Kaiba reasoned as he started the water.

Yami joined Kaiba in the surreal shower, knowing that he would never look at them the same way ever again when changing for gym. The shower was small and forced them to stand close together and Yami made a startled noise when he felt Kaiba's hands on him, lightly trailing along his sides and making him shiver despite the heated water running over them both. "Why do we always end up in a shower?" Yami questioned, trying to focus on something else before his body betrayed him further.

"Maybe I just like getting you wet," Kaiba replied with a perverse chuckle as his hands continued to explore the contours of Yami's body that were becoming increasingly familiar.

"We don't have time for this," Yami protested with a groan, even as he returned the favor, unable to deny the impulse to reach out and touch Kaiba in some way.

"I know," Kaiba agreed with a sadistic smirk that Yami couldn't see. He was enjoying himself far too much, but he was finding it harder to call upon his normally impeccable self-restraint; it should have troubled Kaiba, but it just didn't seem to matter in the moment.

Yami could already feel himself starting to get aroused again and a noise of frustration escaped him. "Damn it, Kai—mmph!" Yami started to say before he was interrupted by Kaiba's lips on his.

Although Kaiba's original intention had been to silence Yami, his purpose quickly took an entirely different direction. Pressing Yami against the wall, Kaiba continued exploring that wet warmth with his tongue, imagining what it would feel like wrapped around his cock instead. Yami's fingers entangled in brunette hair as he gave himself over, unaware of the way he rocked his hips against Kaiba's thigh in an attempt for friction. It just felt so unbelievably good and Yami tilted his head back against the grey tiles with a keen, completely hard and needing more. Kaiba couldn't resist leaning forward and licking the rivulets of water running down Yami's bared neck, impishly biting the soft skin, but not hard enough to mark. The action made Yami cry out and it echoed in a delicious way in the small space, causing Kaiba to growl in approval as he released the reddened patch of skin.

Kaiba started to pump Yami's member firmly, reveling in the wanton look of pleasure on his rival's face. Even though Kaiba knew they were short on time, he gracefully dropped to his knees and licked Yami's member from base to tip before taking it into his mouth. It made Yami exclaim wordlessly as his hands scrambled for purchase on Kaiba's shoulders, his whole body trembling with need. "_Yes_," Yami hissed in pleasure, his eyes sliding closed for a moment, "oh yes, _please_…!"

Hearing his rival practically begging made Kaiba moan in satisfaction, wanting nothing more than to give in to that desire in ways he knew he couldn't get away within the confines of the brothel. All Kaiba could do was fondle Yami's heavy sac as he continued expertly sucking him off before subtly sliding his fingers back along the perineum to teasingly run over his rival's entrance. It made Yami tighten his grip on Kaiba's shoulder as he took a shuddering breath, feeling as if his knees were going to give out on him any minute from the overwhelming pleasure that was reducing him to a moaning mess of need.

As much as Kaiba wanted to penetrate Yami and discover an unexplored territory on his rival, he resisted the impulse. That didn't stop him from lightly fingering the tight hole, swallowing around the cock in his mouth and bringing Yami that much closer to his release. Yami eventually moved his fingers back into Kaiba's brunette hair that was almost black from the water, unknowingly caressing his rival as he tried not to thrust into the talented mouth that was making him forget about everything else. He looked down at Kaiba, watching as he worked the length skillfully, and Yami made an appreciative noise. It caused Kaiba to look up at him and the fierce expression in those blue eyes made Yami feel even harder as it called to something deep within him; he responded on an almost primal level beyond his comprehension.

It was too much stimulation after their first round and Yami came hard in Kaiba's mouth without warning. Kaiba swallowed it all before releasing the spent member with an obscene sounding pop and he smirked when Yami slid down along the wall until he was sitting on the shower floor, breathing heavily from the experience. He felt limbless and utterly drained in the most pleasant of ways and he looked up at Kaiba with a mix of awe and exasperation. It was positively infuriating that he could be reduced to such a state by his rival, but he couldn't help but be begrudgingly impressed, even if it was confusing as hell. Kaiba looked entirely too smug for Yami's tastes and he couldn't help but acknowledge the erection that was so close to his face. Yami almost felt like he should return the favor, but the mere thought of it was intimidating and he wasn't exactly comfortable with it. He was distracted by the quiet rapping knock on the door, but not before he caught the annoyed look that flitted on Kaiba's face for the briefest of moments.

"Wait outside," Kaiba ordered loudly enough to carry through the door, his voice harsh with irritation and cold detachment.

"Yes, sir," a female voice responded before all was silent again.

Sighing softly under his breath, Kaiba held out his hand to Yami, who pulled himself up with some amount of effort. Quickly washing off, they exited the shower and Kaiba shut off the water before handing a towel over to Yami. Feeling somewhat foolish, Yami asked, "What about you?"

Yami's cheeks were already flushed from the hot shower and exertion, so Kaiba couldn't tell if any of that was from embarrassment. "I'll manage," Kaiba dryly answered as he also dried himself off, surprised that he was once again left in such a situation.

They exited the bathroom and Yami hurriedly redressed, very much aware of the way Kaiba was watching his every movement. When he was completely clothed, Yami looked over almost shyly at Kaiba who was resting against the desk, the towel not hiding the evidence of his arousal. Feeling the need to say something even though he knew there was no time, Yami quietly said, "Uh, have a good weekend," but it sounded more like a question.

"You, too," Kaiba returned with a quirk of his lips, thoroughly entertained by the reappearance of the almost virginally shy side of his rival; it just made him want to do untold perverse things to Yami.

"See you Monday," Yami replied, awkwardly standing there as if waiting for something else to happen. "Yeah, so…later, I guess…"

As much as Kaiba wanted to prolong the experience, he knew he couldn't do it without risking repercussions that just weren't worth it. "Have a good night," Kaiba smoothly wished him, smirking ever so slightly because he could only imagine what Yami's imagination did to him outside of the walls of the brothel when he was alone in his bed at night.

It reminded Yami about what was awaiting him as soon as he left and Yami groaned as he muttered, "Yeah, I doubt that'll be happening."

Arching an eyebrow, Kaiba accidentally inquired, "Why?"

"The guys came here tonight, too," Yami explained, scowling faintly as he steeled himself for the conversation he didn't want to have once he got downstairs.

"You brought the mutt?" Kaiba asked with a derisive snort. "What poor bastard had to put up with his incompetence?"

"The Harpie Lady," Yami answered, although it only occurred after the fact that he probably shouldn't have. "Besides, I didn't bring him here."

Making a mental note to check on the woman later, Kaiba focused on making the connection on Yami's latter part of the comment. "You accompanied him to make sure he didn't choose me?" Kaiba guessed, unsure of how that action made him feel.

Feeling as if he had been caught, Yami looked down at the floor as he shoved his hands in his pocket. "Basically, yeah," Yami answered, even though part of him had just genuinely wanted to see Kaiba again. It was an unhealthy and unbecoming urge, but Yami was getting more and more entangled in Kaiba and it was harder to remember why he shouldn't.

Part of Kaiba was really pissed off by the presumptuousness of Yami's actions, but the rest of him was surprisingly grateful. Kaiba wouldn't put it past Jounouchi to book him in order to satisfy his curiosity and then fuck him in the most demeaning way possible in order to lord it over him. The mere thought disgusted Kaiba and he could all too easily picture it happening, which Yami had apparently also anticipated. Pushing himself off of the desk and walking over to Yami, Kaiba tilted his rival's head up in order to initiate eye contact. Only when those uncertain crimson eyes were focused on him did Kaiba express a rare sentiment, "Thank you."

Yami was stunned by the genuine feeling that was conveyed in those two simple words and he found himself accidentally confessing, "That wasn't the only reason I came here tonight, but—"

Interrupting him to impishly state, "I know," Kaiba placed the softest of kisses on Yami's lips, lingering longer than he should have in gentleness. Pulling back and brushing damp blond bangs away from Yami's face, Kaiba recognized that something inside of him was moving in response again and he still didn't know how to process it. "You should leave before they charge you a late fee."

Opening his mouth as if to say something further, Yami quickly shut it without uttering a sound and instead settled for a final lingering glance before leaving the room. Ishi was waiting for him and bowed politely after he shut the door, ushering him to the elevator without comment on the delay. He still felt somewhat guilty that she had to go all the way back to the bathroom to find them and he awkwardly apologized, "I'm sorry that we ran…a little long."

Smiling in reassurance as the elevator descended, she dismissed his concerns, "It is not significant enough to merit a surcharge, so you needn't worry."

"Still," Yami persisted, even though he was relieved to know there wouldn't be any additional fees added to an already expensive evening. "I don't want either of you getting into trouble over it."

"Your concern is appreciated," she thanked him just before the doors opened on the ground floor, smiling at him with genuine warmth. "And for him as well. Have a great night, sir."

"Thanks, same to you," Yami replied as he exited the elevator, once again wondering if she was going up to check on him. He didn't spare much thought to the curiosity, mostly because he knew he needed to focus on finding his friends. Taking a brief moment to center himself, Yami schooled his expression into a neutral one, despite the telltale flush of his cheeks that gave him away.

Honda and Jounouchi were waiting for him in the lobby and they elbowed each other playfully with knowing looks as Yami approached. "Looks like someone was having a little too much fun," Jounouchi teased as he and Honda stood up to greet Yami.

"Yeah, yeah, let's go," Yami replied, laughing as if he were completely at ease. Instead he was increasingly nervous about the potential conversation and his legs felt like jelly from his earlier activities.

Jounouchi didn't waste any time and he jumped straight into the question Yami didn't want to answer, "So who did you decide to go with this time?"

"Who do you think?" Yami retorted with a mischievous grin, hoping that the guessing game would last long enough for them to part at the train station.

"Blue Eyes White Dragon?" Honda guessed after they exited the premises, immediately getting assaulted by Jounouchi's fist for the suggestion.

"Dude, don't be so fucking gross!" Jounouchi ordered, incensed on his friend's behalf.

Honda merely shrugged and muttered, "I don't see anything wrong with it."

"You don't—did you just say you don't see anything wrong with fucking a Kaiba look alike?" Jounouchi demanded, his voice rising in his incredulousness. "What the hell is wrong with you? Did you lose your tiny brain when you came or something?"

"No, I'm just saying," Honda shot back, arguing in earnest and completely ignoring Yami. "You know what? Forget it, forget I said it."

"So I'm just supposed to forget that you insinuated that our friend is gay? And that he would hook up with a guy who looks like that asshole?" Jounouchi asked with a snort. "Man, you have some seriously fucked up issues, Honda."

"No, he doesn't," Yami interjected on Honda's behalf. "Why are you getting so worked up about it, anyway?"

Jounouchi's jaw dropped at the nonchalant response the conversation garnered from Yami; he had expected his friend to be livid about the comments, not completely calm. "Yo, you should be pissed off at him and instead you're defending him? What the hell, Yami?" Jounouchi questioned, completely confused.

"Why would I get pissed at a friend who is supportive of any interest I could ever possibly have?" Yami asked with a shrug. "Besides, just because he said it doesn't mean it's true, right?"

"See?" Honda goaded Jounouchi. "He totally understood what I was saying. You're the only idiot who missed the point."

"I'm so going to kick your ass, Honda!" Jounouchi threatened, still completely incensed.

"Go ahead," Honda challenged with a smirk. "I'll just have to go find your sister and have her kiss it and make it better when you're done! Maybe I'll make her dress up like a nurse, too!"

"Oh, that is _it_!" Jounouchi yelled, chasing after Honda when the teen began to run away. "You are so dead for that! Yeah, you better run, asshole!"

Yami watched as Jounouchi chased Honda, but he made no attempt to catch up with the arguing duo. Instead he continued to walk at a leisurely pace, grateful for the reprieve in an unwanted conversation and hoping it would last.

* * *

**A/N:** I'd feel worse for Yami if it weren't for the fact he actually gets to be tortured in such pleasurable ways by Kaiba…

Lots of fun stuff planned, particularly in chapter 10. But first, the serious interlude.

**NEXT CHAPTER: Untitled  
**

_He needed to put it all from his mind, but the only thought that distracted him was the shy gaze of Yami and the weird warmth that started to stir inside of Kaiba in response. Yami was starting to become complicated, but Kaiba couldn't bring himself to stop; there was something so sinfully addictive about his rival. He was starting to want more, starting to need more, but the brothel was too dangerous of a location to allow anything to happen; yet doing anything outside would undoubtedly be disastrous._

The next chapter should go up on **Sunday, November 8th**. Thank you again for all of the wonderful reviews and encouragement! I'm going to be a bit delayed in responding to reviews this week because of a hectic weekend and week ahead, but I promise I will reply to all of the past reviews at some point in the next few days. I appreciate your patience and continued support, as always!


	9. Chapter 09: Concealment

**Chapter 09: Concealment**

Between a quick, cold shower and disturbing thoughts, Kaiba rid himself of his erection in the least pleasurable of ways. The thought of Jounouchi was more than enough to curb any of his hormonal desires and rage quickly replaced it as Kaiba left the classroom suite to return to his personal room for some rest before his next client arrived.

As much as Kaiba couldn't stand the thought of being protected by Yami, the thought of being on his knees for Jounouchi was worse. It was all too easy to picture himself on all fours as Jounouchi thrust into him from behind while cruelly demanding, "Who's the loser dog now, huh? Let's see you call me, 'mutt,' after this, asshole!" It revolted Kaiba in more ways than one and he felt more disgusted by that possibility than any other patron he had ever been forced to endure over the past four years of working at the brothel.

Recognizing that his thoughts were heading down a dangerous path, Kaiba curtailed them and flopped onto his bed with a heavy sigh. He needed to put it all from his mind, but the only thought that distracted him was the shy gaze of Yami right before he left and the weird warmth that started to stir inside of Kaiba in response. Yami was starting to become complicated, but Kaiba couldn't bring himself to stop; there was something so sinfully addictive about his rival. He was starting to want more, starting to need more, but the brothel was too dangerous of a location to allow anything to happen; yet doing anything outside would undoubtedly be disastrous. Kaiba just couldn't risk Gozaburo taking an interest in Yami, let alone all the other repercussions of his disobedience. And yet, there was still something so irresistible about tempting his rival…

Before his thoughts could detour any further, a quiet knock on the door gave him a perfect excuse for distraction. "Enter," Kaiba called out, making no attempt to cover his nudity.

Ishi entered silently with a polite bow before approaching Kaiba on the bed. No words were exchanged between them until he mumbled into his pillow, "I shouldn't have snapped at you earlier."

Knowing that admission was the closest thing to an apology she was going to get, Ishi gracefully accepted it as she reassured him, "It's fine, Seto-sama. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Make it three so I can go home?" Kaiba sarcastically muttered, feeling tired despite the early hour and slow pace of the evening.

Smiling wanly down at him, she replied, "I would if I could, sir."

"I know you would, Ishi," Kaiba said with a sigh as he glanced over at her. "Everything okay out front?"

"No incidents to report," she replied, finding it a somewhat odd question coming from him, "although your guest did apologize to me for delaying my duties."

Rolling his eyes as he chuckled knowingly, Kaiba muttered, "He would."

"He's a rather…intriguing individual," she thoughtfully commented, still surprised that someone like him would visit a brothel.

"That's one way of putting it," Kaiba replied with a snort, but the lack of scorn in his voice surprised Ishi.

She was about to comment further when the door to the room suddenly opened and Ishi quickly stood up to bow to the man who entered, although Kaiba only sat up to face Gozaburo. He had nothing but hatred and contempt for the man standing at the foot of the bed, but Kaiba pushed aside those immediate reactions; he had a role to play still and he would do it to perfection as long as it took to achieve his goals.

"Welcome back, Gozaburo-sama," she greeted in a mellifluous voice, smiling at him with false admiration and adoration. She had started working for him to pay her way through college without having to provide the full range of services, but her disdain had quickly morphed into angry resentment over his treatment of Kaiba. "How was your trip to America?"

"Mostly a waste," Gozaburo answered with a scowl. "It seems that America is not ready for Kaiba Corporation just yet."

"I am sorry to hear that, sir," she smoothly replied, sounding sincere despite feeling anything but.

Gesturing for Ishi to come closer, he commented, "You should really reconsider my offer, girl."

"Perhaps after I graduate," she countered, even though she had no intention of ever serving him or his patrons in any sexual capacity.

"Very well, you are dismissed," he stated, waiting for her to leave before addressing Kaiba. "Where are your manners, boy?"

Bowing his head in deference, Kaiba formally greeted, "Welcome back, otou-sama. Please forgive my lack of decorum; I was just surprised by your sudden arrival. I wasn't expecting your return for another week."

"That is no excuse," Gozaburo reprimanded, his displeasure evident in his tone, "but I shall forgive you this time."

"Your generosity knows no bounds," Kaiba flatly replied, cursing himself for his lapse in judgment.

Letting the topic go, Gozaburo casually commented, "It seems that you have a new patron that I should know about," but his eyes were harsh and appraising.

Kaiba was starting to get nervous, but he refused to show the slightest bit of discomfort in front of his all too perceptive adoptive father. "What would you like to know?" Kaiba offered, knowing better than to start volunteering information when Gozaburo had likely already reviewed Yami's file.

"Why one of your classmates started frequenting you during my absence," Gozaburo replied as he sat down in the chair Ishi had just vacated, signaling to Kaiba that it was going to be a longer conversation than he was comfortable with having.

"Coincidental curiosity," Kaiba answered with a shrug, doing his best to sound nonchalant about the whole incident. "It was his friend's birthday, so they decided to come here to celebrate. Besides, it's not as if he can't afford me."

Leaning back in the chair and crossing his legs, Gozaburo said, "That is not the issue."

"He's been made aware of the consequences of my identity being revealed," Kaiba told Gozaburo, even though they had never explicitly had such a conversation; it was more of a mutual understanding.

"And yet he brought friends," Gozaburo pointed out, watching his adopted son carefully for any sign of betrayal or disobedience.

"Who are far too stupid to ever make the connection," Kaiba dismissively argued, waving away the concern, "let alone being capable of affording to find out for themselves."

Although Gozaburo wasn't entirely at ease over the situation, it was a true fact that the other two boys would be unable to pass the necessary credit check to book Kaiba for any length of time; his adopted son was available only to the most exclusive of clientele, after all. "Should I be concerned?"

It felt like a trick question, but Kaiba promptly answered, "No," and felt weird having to trust in Yami to make sure that he wasn't wrong.

"You have that much faith in your patron?" Gozaburo pressed, more suspicious about him than the other two.

"It's not a matter of faith; it is merely a fact," Kaiba confidently predicted, desperately wishing to get off of the topic. The whole conversation was making him uncomfortable; the thought of Gozaburo concerning himself with Yami made something tighten painfully in Kaiba's chest. He knew firsthand what happened when Gozaburo took interest in someone and Kaiba felt an almost concerning level of need to shield Yami from such a fate, despite how uncharacteristic it was for him to experience.

Narrowing his eyes critically, Gozaburo stroked his chin as he carefully regarded his adopted son, silently assessing him. "Even if Mutou falls for you?" Gozaburo questioned, somewhat suspicious if that hadn't already occurred.

"His feelings are of no consequence to me," Kaiba callously replied, annoyed by that tight feeling in his chest that refused to abate; he couldn't shake the feeling that his words would have wounded Yami on some level, but he couldn't allow himself to be distracted in front of such a dangerous opponent. "He comes here for the illusion, which implies there is nothing to be had outside of these walls, correct?"

"He harbors it all the same," Gozaburo countered, still unconvinced, "perhaps because you are too indulgent with him."

Immediately becoming suspicious because of the statement, Kaiba had a sinking feeling that Gozaburo must have reviewed the security tapes that were recording at all times. Kaiba swore at himself for being so lax in Gozaburo's extended absence and quickly tried to recall if he said anything potentially damning. "I am merely trying to keep the customer satisfied with his chosen game," Kaiba justified, hoping that it sounded as casual as he was aiming for.

Leaning forward and taking hold of Kaiba's chin to pull him closer, Gozaburo murmured, "Then perhaps you are a better actor than I gave you credit for."

_You have no idea_, Kaiba venomously thought, but he merely appeared to graciously accept the compliment. "I do my best," Kaiba said as he demurely looked down, forcing his reaction to jerk away to subside; he hated being touched by that bastard.

"And don't think that I am unaware of your little 'reward' to him," Gozaburo warned before releasing his hold on Kaiba and leaning back once more.

"It was payment for his silence," Kaiba explained, but he knew that to be false. Although he had expected more protesting from Yami, part of it was the selfish desire to reward himself with something far more enjoyable than his normal clientele.

"That almost cost you a visit with your brother this week," Gozaburo informed him, "but I'm feeling more gracious than normal given Mutou's continued silence and increased profits."

Once again bowing his head in deference, Kaiba hated the feeling of relief that coursed through him over realizing that he would still be allowed to see his younger brother and that Yami would be spared any repercussions as well. It was a good thing that he was not looking his adoptive father in the eye when Gozaburo mused, "Perhaps there is more use to be had from your new toy," because Kaiba paled considerably before his eyes hardened with barely contained rage. "I could think of numerous ways to utilize him…"

"As an employee?" Kaiba guessed, his hatred finding a whole new reason to run even deeper.

"There is that aspect to consider as well," Gozaburo replied with a perverse chuckle, entertaining the idea of the teen.

Kaiba felt a new level of disgust at the thought of Yami with Gozaburo and there was something deep inside of him that demanded he protect his rival from the whims of the madman that had adopted him. It was almost shocking at how vehemently part of Kaiba possessively insisted that Yami was his and his alone; the thought of having to share was positively distasteful. However, there was nothing that he could say or do about Yami without alerting Gozaburo to the fact that there was a deeper connection between him and his rival, so Kaiba maintained his silence, keenly aware of his adopted father's gaze on him. He could tell that Gozaburo was just waiting for a reaction—any kind of reaction—and Kaiba refused to play into his hand; the slightest thing could be perceived as weakness and he refused to let the man have a victory.

Making a mental note to keep closer tabs on the three classmates, Gozaburo stood up and looked down at Kaiba with a blank expression. Issuing a final warning of, "Do not disappoint me," Gozaburo waited for Kaiba to make an affirmative comment.

"I would never dare dream of it, sir," Kaiba muttered, forcing himself to maintain a respectful gaze as he looked up at his adoptive father.

"Good," Gozaburo said with a nod, pleased with the turn of events. "Oh, and be sure to prepare yourself for an assessment of my latest acquisition. Consider it your reward for good behavior while I was gone."

Feeling his stomach lurch at the order, Kaiba betrayed nothing as he asked, "In the Viewing Room?"

"As always," Gozaburo confirmed with another perverse chuckle, pleased with the newest addition to his establishment. "I found him in a club called 'Black Crown,' and convinced him to come back with me."

Not wanting to think of how exactly Gozaburo had attempted to convince the man, Kaiba merely inquired, "What time?"

"I think ten minutes should suffice," Gozaburo answered before finally turning to leave. "Depending on how it goes tonight, perhaps I'll let you see your brother tomorrow, hm?"

"Yes, otou-sama," Kaiba replied, watching as Gozaburo walked out of the room without another word. More aware of the cameras than ever, Kaiba didn't show the disgust he felt as he stood up and went his bathroom to obey the order, despite the self-loathing it stirred. He couldn't afford to let himself think about the task at hand or the fact that Gozaburo and a panel of select VIPs would be watching his performance with the newest employee. Kaiba had a job to do and a person to protect, so he would do whatever it took to make sure that his adoptive father never forced Mokuba into working for him as well. And yet, there was the tiniest part of him that was starting to whisper somewhere in the recesses of his mind about guarding Yami from Gozaburo's questionable interests as well.

Pushing all of his thoughts aside, Kaiba entered his shower and focused on what he had to do; no distractions would be allowed. And maybe if he got lucky, there would be some pleasure to be found out of the new recruit.

* * *

**A/N:** Some of you were predicting Gozaburo's role in this fic and now you're starting to get your answers about him and Mokuba. Perhaps it is less than surprising motivation, but I'm trying to maintain some amount of continuity, despite this being an AU fic.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Meeting Yami's gaze through the mirror, Kaiba warned in a seductive tone, "You really shouldn't stand that way if you don't want me to get any ideas."_

"_You already have the ideas regardless of how I stand," Yami accused Kaiba, his heart still pounding from the adrenaline rush of the surprise._

"_Fine, give me __**more**__ ideas," Kaiba conceded with a wicked grin. Boldly sliding one of his hands from Yami's hip down the front of his pants to grope his rival's half-hard member, Kaiba grinned when he realized what he had done to his rival. "And it would seem that I'm not the only one with those kinds of ideas…"_

That's more like it, isn't it? *wicked grin* Obviously, there's some more teasing in the future; it's kind of a mini-arc of sorts, I guess.

I've been really backed up with graduate school presentations, midterms, essays, and readings, so I'm horribly, horribly behind on replying to your fantastic reviews as a result. Things should hopefully be calming down somewhat after Thursday, so I will attempt to reply to everyone then; I know I'm behind by a couple of weeks, but I figure you guys would rather see a new chapter more than anything else. But your reviews mean the world to me and I can't thank you all enough for sharing your thoughts and insights! You all make the sleepless nights worthwhile, so please bear with me as I try to get caught up and be sure to check back on **Sunday, November 15th** for the next chapter!


	10. Chapter 10: Urges

**A/N: **I don't think that this one merits a warning per se, but there is some hints of citrus in this chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 10: Urges**

Yami had resolved himself to ignoring the memories from Friday night, but staring at the teacher's desk Monday morning in homeroom was making that a decidedly difficult task. He could swear that he felt Kaiba's gaze on him, but Yami tried to focus on anything else but the images that were all too quick to come to the forefront of his mind.

Homeroom had been largely uneventful and Yami didn't know whether to be disappointed or relieved that he had a legitimate reason to delay going to his first class that he shared with Kaiba and engaging in a conversation on the way there that was bound to fluster him. Kaiba's mere presence in the class forced Yami to pay the strictest attention to his goal so that he didn't slip into a fantasy that had replayed countless times in his mind over the weekend. Second period was easy enough to get through since he had to focus on taking a test that mercifully lasted the whole duration of class. Thus, by third period, Yami was already exhausted by his own efforts to distract himself.

Unfortunately for Yami, the flaw in his plan was that spending so much time thinking about what he wasn't supposed to think about meant that all he was doing was thinking about taking Kaiba on a teacher's desk and why he shouldn't think about it. The whole thing was enough to make Yami's head hurt and he wanted to curse Kaiba if it weren't for the fact that he wasn't the only one responsible for the memory.

It was inevitable for Yami's mind to wander during a boring lesson and despite his best efforts, staring vacantly at the teacher's desk only made him think of one thing now. Although all appearances portrayed Yami as raptly paying attention, he was completely distracted by the memory of being buried deeply in Kaiba's tight channel, thrusting into him hard while looking out over the student desks. He could remember how incredible it felt to move in Kaiba, to feel him on such an intense level, to be allowed to touch him in such a manner, to _experience_ his rival so completely.

Shifting awkwardly in the uncomfortable desk chair, Yami scowled in annoyance that he was feeling the start of an erection. He knew that he needed to stop before it got worse, but the vision stubbornly continued, moving away from memory and into a sordid fantasy. He could easily imagine the sound of the papers crinkling under Kaiba's back as he was pressed onto the desk, the way the small cup on pencils would scatter on the floor, sacrificed in a moment of passion. Neither of them would pay any attention to the disarray they were responsible for, far too caught up in each other to spare a thought to anything else.

It was only with a supreme effort that Yami managed to pull himself away from the tempting thoughts of ravishing Kaiba, trying in vain to stop before he got past the point of no return. Deciding that he needed to do something before his situation became dire, Yami abruptly got up and left the room, oblivious to Jounouchi's concerned look and the teacher's surprise.

Hurriedly walking to the bathroom, Yami felt relieved that it was completely empty save for himself. Going over to the sink and turning on the faucet, Yami bent down and splashed some cold water on his face, hoping to shock his senses. The only shock he received was the sound of the door opening, but Yami pointedly ignored the newcomer, trying his best to act normal and inconspicuous as he once again washed his face with the cold water.

Yami was so focused on his interior thoughts that he was completely startled by the feeling of hands on his hips and someone pressing close to grind against his ass. Immediately straightening up and trying to turn around to face his assailant, Yami froze when he saw in the mirror who was behind him.

Meeting Yami's gaze through the mirror, Kaiba warned in a seductive tone, "You _really_ shouldn't stand that way if you don't want me to get any ideas."

"You already have the ideas regardless of how I stand," Yami accused Kaiba as he turned off the water, his heart still pounding from the adrenaline rush of the surprise.

"Fine, give me _more_ ideas," Kaiba conceded with a wicked grin. Boldly sliding one of his hands from Yami's hip down the front of his pants to grope his rival's half-hard member, Kaiba grinned when he realized what he had done to his rival. "And it would seem that I'm not the only one with those kinds of ideas…"

Blushing both from the implication and the touch, Yami elbowed Kaiba to discourage him and muttered, "Shut up," as he wiped the excess water from his face. "And what the hell are you doing here, anyway?"

It was only by chance and because of boredom that Kaiba noticed Yami walking past his classroom and it was too good of an opportunity to let pass. "What do you think?" Kaiba asked, watching in the mirror as he deliberately placed a kiss on Yami's neck.

Seeing the sensuous display in the mirror added a weird heightened element to the act and Yami was momentarily riveted by it, completely captivated by the deviously blissful expression on Kaiba's face. It made Yami realize how much he missed in the moment and he shivered at the sensations, the experience doing nothing to lessen the growing ache within him.

Satisfied that he had sufficiently distracted Yami, Kaiba once again groped his rival, pleased to discover that he was even stiffer. "I'm surprised you lasted until third period," Kaiba teased as he continued to massage the length through the rough fabric of the uniform. "You were thinking about me on the desk, weren't you?"

Forcing Kaiba's hand off of him, Yami glared at him through the mirror, but his rival would not be deterred. "Or were you thinking about being on the desk under me?" Kaiba continued, enjoying the experience far more than he should.

"I was not!" Yami denied as he pushed off of the sink and turned around to finally face Kaiba properly.

Chuckling at the indignant look on Yami's face, Kaiba goaded, "_Really_?"

"Yes!" Yami snapped, his scarlet eyes blazing in his irritation. "And if you will excuse me, I have to get back to class, so—"

Interrupting Yami with a pointed look at the bulge in his pants, Kaiba asked, "With that problem? Because I have no intention of returning like this."

Yami swallowed hard as Kaiba ran his hand over his own answering erection and he had to remind himself to stay focused. "We don't have time for this," Yami continued to protest, getting more frustrated as the experienced was prolonged.

"So just tell your teacher that you weren't feeling well," Kaiba countered with a smug look as he looked over Yami. "Your cheeks are flushed enough that she'll believe you."

Bristling at the reminder of his current worked up state, Yami wanted to smart off that he wasn't paying Kaiba so what was the point, but the words were too harsh to say out loud. Besides, as much as he was against the idea, there was some bizarre thrill at the potentially dangerous possibility of getting caught in such a compromising position. Almost as if sensing Yami's train of thought, Kaiba continued to entice Yami by murmuring lowly in his ear, "Besides, it's kind of exciting, wouldn't you agree?"

"You're such a deviant pervert," Yami indignant muttered, but the strength of his words was ruined by Kaiba's teasing touch

"Like you're any different," Kaiba scoffed as he firmly groped Yami's ass and pulled him closer. "It's not as if you aren't getting off on this, too."

Making an annoyed noise, Yami impulsively initiated a harsh kiss to prevent Kaiba from saying anything further. Although Kaiba was mildly startled, he took the action in stride and began to back them closer to the nearby wall. Slamming Yami up against it with enough force to break the kiss, Kaiba chuckled lowly at the distressed noise it earned him before immediately resuming. Yami entangled his fingers in Kaiba's hair as if holding on for fear of being swept away by the passionately fierce aggression and he felt almost weak in the knees from his rival's ministrations.

Wanting to step things up a little further, Kaiba helped Yami wrap his legs around his waist. Pausing just long enough to readjust their positions, Kaiba rocked his hips against Yami's in an imitation of what he would rather be doing. The thought of being buried hilt-deep in his virginal rival made him groan with need and Kaiba inadvertently thrust harder in search of something he doubted he'd ever be able to have.

Yami was all but writhing on the wall and he was getting increasingly frustrated by the amount of fabric separating them. He had become spoiled by uninhibited skin to skin contact and Yami keened softly as he met Kaiba's movement, holding onto his rival's shoulders to steady himself. His mind was completely blank except for one guiding desire and Yami blindly moved in search of satiation, almost whimpering with the building pressure of desire inside that was far from finding relief.

The needy note of almost desperation was immensely gratifying to Kaiba and it stroked his ego in the most satisfying of ways. Kaiba was about to reward Yami when he thought he heard something that made him stop moving completely. Yami growled in annoyance, but Kaiba quickly covered his mouth with his hand and gave him a stern look as he focused on the sound of approaching footsteps that echoed loudly in the empty hall. Hurriedly forcing Yami to get down, Kaiba harshly whispered, "Get in there and shut the door," as he all but pushed his rival into the nearest stall.

There was something about Kaiba's tone and urgency that prevented Yami from asking the questions he wanted answered and he complied without fuss, resting his back against the tile wall before sliding down to a crouching position. His mind was still clouded from hormones and he made an indignant noise when Kaiba arrogantly commented, "This wouldn't happen if you were stronger, you know."

Furrowing his eyebrows in confusion, Yami loudly demanded, "What the hell are you talking about? You're the one—"

"You're the one on the floor," Kaiba interrupted to finish, having had just enough time to readjusted himself so that his erection wasn't completely obvious before the door opened. "Obviously you're wearing yourself out to keep up with me and my brilliance."

Yami's eyes went wide at the sound of someone entering the bathroom and he suddenly realized what Kaiba had managed to do. Offering a silent word of thanks as he breathed a sigh of relief, that feeling was quickly gone when he heard Jounouchi loudly question, "What the fuck are you doing here and where the hell is Yami?"

"Go back to class, Jounouchi-kun," Yami said with a heavy sigh, sounding almost as miserable as he felt. This was not how he needed his friend to find him; all it was going to do was cause more problems and questions surrounding their brothel visits and Yami wanted to avoid that conversation at all costs. Plus his body was screaming at him for stopping when they had and he ached with an almost painful need to be touched by Kaiba that was more than just a little disconcerting.

"And leave you with this asshole?" Jounouchi argued with a hateful glare at Kaiba who had yet to move from his position on the wall. "I don't fucking think so!"

"That wasn't a request," Yami coldly stated, shocking Jounouchi and Kaiba both.

Kaiba's cruel laugh incensed Jounouchi and he focused his rage on his number one enemy. "Why are you here anyway?" Jounouchi demanded as he pointed an accusing finger at Kaiba. "Come to kick him while he's down or something?"

Rolling his eyes at the absurdity of Jounouchi's simple mind, Kaiba coolly replied, "I have better things to do with my time than to waste it with something as childish as that sort of behavior."

"Hasn't stopped you before," Jounouchi growled, having been metaphorically kicked while down by Kaiba on more than one occasion.

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe I just came in here to take a piss, mutt?" Kaiba crudely asked with a sneer.

"Look, both of you shut up and go back to class," Yami ordered, his patience at an end. "I'll be fine, so—"

Crossing his arms as he glared down his opponent, Jounouchi stubbornly replied, "I'll go after he does. I'm not leaving you here with him, Yami."

"Damn it, Jounouchi!" Yami swore in his anger, his temper flaring. "What are you so afraid that he'll do to me?"

The small, perverse quirk of Kaiba's lips at the potential innuendo didn't escape Jounouchi's attention and he narrowed his eyes at his rival. "There is something going on with you and I'm going to figure out what it is," Jounouchi promised Kaiba, "and then you won't be so high and mighty anymore, asshole."

Although Kaiba merely laughed cruelly at the pathetic attempt at intimidation, it sent Yami past the point of his tolerance. Having grown soft in his annoyance, Yami stood up and threw open the stall door, causing Jounouchi to flinch when it banged against the wall with a loud and echoing bang. "That's enough!" Yami all but yelled, his eyes blazing bright in his anger. "I'm tired of listening to your petty arguments and insults!"

"But, Yami—" Jounouchi tried to object, but to no avail.

"No! I'm tired of listening to your pointless posturing and you," Yami said as he pointed to Kaiba, "aren't much better, either."

"Oh, I think otherwise," Kaiba contradicted with a knowing smirk, earning him a warning look from enraged crimson.

"Of course you do," Yami muttered before returning his attention to Jounouchi. "Go back to class, tell the teacher I'm not feeling well, and give my stuff to Yuugi."

Jounouchi started to suggest, "I'll take you to the nurse's office—"

"No," Yami refused as he glared a final warning at his friend, "I'll take myself and don't come down to check on me, either. I just want to try and sleep this off."

Holding up his hands in surrender, Jounouchi placated his friend with an, "Okay, okay, I got it. Feel better."

Not saying another word to Kaiba or even sparing him a glance, Yami stormed out of the bathroom and wished that the door wasn't hinged in such a way to prevent him from slamming it; that would have been somewhat satisfying. It left Jounouchi and Kaiba all alone and they glared at each other before Jounouchi broke the silence by saying, "Now see what you've done?"

"Funny, he seemed more pissed at you than me," Kaiba shrewdly commented. He was well aware that any of Yami's irritation at him was a result of the interruption; he was quite confident in that belief, actually.

Closing the gap between them, Jounouchi threatened Kaiba, "You're hiding something, asshole, and I'm going to figure out what it is."

"Doubtful," Kaiba sneered, knowing that even if the mutt did make the connection, Yami would talk him out of the revelation. It was weird for Kaiba to rely on the protection of another—let alone a rival—in such a capacity, but it wasn't as troublesome of an issue as it should have been for him. "You should spare what little brain cells you have remaining instead of trying to—"

"Go ahead, get all your laughs in now," Jounouchi interrupted him to say with a serious look, "but I'm going to find out and then I'll be the only one laughing."

Waving away the threat, Kaiba walked around Jounouchi as he dismissively replied, "You and your infantile brain are the least of my concerns, mutt. Feel free to waste your own time, but don't waste mine."

Grabbing Kaiba's shoulder and spinning him around, Jounouchi demanded, "Worried?"

Slapping off Jounouchi's hand, Kaiba looked down at Jounouchi with an icy hatred that sent a shiver of fear through the teen despite his convictions. "As if I had anything to worry about from the likes of you," Kaiba stated before turning and walking away without another word, leaving Jounouchi alone.

* * *

**A/N:** This one went up a little late because of some problems with logging into this site, but hopefully it was worth the wait. Kaiba's getting a little more assertive outside of the walls of the brothel, which I'm sure is going to please some of you.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Part of Yami was stunned at Kaiba's brashness, but the realistic part of him wasn't surprised in the least; his rival never left anything unfinished. "Now, where were we?" Kaiba sexily murmured as he rolled Yami onto his back before straddling himself on top of his rival._

Next part goes up on **Sunday, November 22nd** and it's another long one with a lot of banter and some excitement in between.


	11. Chapter 11: Marked

**A/N:** Although this isn't quite a lemon, there is a hint of lime to be aware of, so proceed with caution.

* * *

**Chapter 11: Marked**

Yami's ire began to fade as he neared the nurse's office and it was replaced with sheer exhaustion; it hadn't even occurred to him that leaving the two teens alone could possibly have disastrous results until he was already too far away to convincingly do anything about it. Running his fingers through his hair and putting on his best sick expression, Yami entered the nurse's office with an unwell aura as he meekly called out to Kagesawa-sensei. Only silence answered him and Yami wondered if the nurse was on break or maybe just in the bathroom. Deciding against standing awkwardly in the room, Yami walked back to where the beds were and pulled the privacy curtain around to shield him from everything.

Kicking off his shoes and lying down with a heavy sigh, Yami closed his eyes and tried to force himself to relax. It was difficult to do since his mind was racing about so many different things and Yami tried unsuccessfully to quiet his nerves. Unfortunately for him, his thoughts kept circling back to the immediate memories of what Kaiba had been doing to him in the bathroom and Yami could only groan as he curled in on himself. He didn't understand what it was about his rival that made him feel so conflicted—so utterly alive and so utterly irritated all at once. It angered him that he seemed to be falling deeper and deeper into Kaiba without much resistance on his part or even the thought of it.

It made Yami wonder about Kaiba's perspective on the whole thing. After all, it wasn't like they had really talked about any of what had been happening. Kaiba had made it clear that he had no complaints about the whole thing, but Yami couldn't help but question what kind of a role money played into those lack of objections. It was all just so confusing to Yami and it was hardly any wonder why he chose to fixate on the physical aspect rather than the complicated issues surrounding their increasingly frequent pairings.

Doing his best to ignore it all, Yami closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, giving it the utmost of attention in an attempt to block out everything else. Sleep would be a welcome reprieve, so long as he didn't have any embarrassing dreams about Kaiba like he occasionally did; Yami was getting tired of waking up to a mess.

Despite the frequent deviations in thoughts, Yami had managed to fall into a state somewhere between being awake and asleep by the time he heard someone enter the room. Assuming it was the nurse, Yami did nothing to draw attention to himself, figuring that the closed curtain was enough evidence that someone was in the room. It didn't surprise him to hear the sound of someone peeking in through the curtains; he once again just assumed that it was the nurse coming to assess his identity and condition, especially when the fabric swished from being released. What he had not expected was to feel someone gently touching his cheek and he opened his eyes in confusion to stare up at the offender.

Part of Yami was stunned at Kaiba's brashness, but the realistic part of him wasn't surprised in the least; his rival never left anything unfinished. "Now, where were we?" Kaiba sexily murmured as he rolled Yami onto his back before straddling himself on top of his rival.

Finding himself suddenly pinned to the bed, Yami shifted awkwardly as he replied, "I really don't think this is a good idea…"

"I already took care of that," Kaiba said with a devious grin that alerted Yami to the fact that he might not want to know what had happened to the nurse.

"What did you do?" Yami groaned, looking up at Kaiba disapprovingly.

Leaning forward and brushing his lips against Yami's, Kaiba murmured, "Guaranteed us some more time," before engaging in a complete kiss.

All of his previous feelings were quickly being stoked back to life as Kaiba began to progress from kisses to more substantial touches. "We can't do this," Yami breathily protested, tired of being tortured without release.

"You didn't seem to have many complaints in the bathroom," Kaiba pointed out as he rocked his hips against Yami's, once again wishing he could take it to the next level.

Thrusting against the friction, Yami groaned softly as he tried to move his hands to touch Kaiba, needing to feel more of his rival. "Kaiba," Yami breathily whispered, hardly believing the wanton quality of his voice.

It sent a shudder of pure lust through Kaiba and he commented, "When you say my name like that, it almost makes me regret that you can't call me that there." Not allowing Yami any time for a response, Kaiba skillfully undid his rival's belt and started on the button next. Drawing the zipper down, Kaiba went straight for his goal, causing Yami to arch up with a loud gasp.

"We're going to get caught," Yami protested, even as he writhed under Kaiba's touch on his now exposed member.

"Did we get caught earlier?" Kaiba asked as proof of evidence toward his abilities to prevent discovery. Not waiting for a response, Kaiba scooted down a little and pushed Yami's uniform up enough to expose his slender hipbones and immediately began to kiss one.

It temporarily distracted Yami before he answered, "Kinda, yeah," refusing to completely give Kaiba the point. "And now Jounouchi-kun's going to start asking all sorts of questions and—fuck!"

Kaiba didn't want to hear any talk about the mutt while they were otherwise occupied and he bit down harshly before applying enough suction to leave a dark mark of his disapproval. It earned him a vocal reaction of surprise laced with the slightest undercurrent of pain and Kaiba couldn't help but feel smug as he admired his work.

"What the fuck was that for?" Yami angrily demanded as he propped himself up on his elbows to assess the damage before glaring angrily down at Kaiba.

Looking more serious than he had intended, Kaiba replied, "Don't talk about the worthless excuse for a mutt when we—"

"You're jealous?" Yami questioned incredulously as he regarded the fierce blue eyes that were incensed with indignity.

All previous emotions were replaced with an arrogant confidence that sent a thrill of anticipation through Yami as he watched Kaiba. "Has he ever touched like you this?" Kaiba asked as he stroked Yami's erection to demonstrate.

"No," Yami gasped, unable to look away from Kaiba's intense gaze.

Although it was merely confirmation of what he had already suspected, Kaiba was still immensely pleased and it reflected in his expression, his blue eyes bright with victory. "Then I have nothing to be jealous of, do I?" Kaiba murmured as he leaned down and kissed the darkening bruise on Yami's hip.

It took a moment for the realization to process through the pleasure and Yami finally had the wherewithal to ask, "But if we had, you would have a reason to be jealous?"

"You're thinking about it too much," Kaiba growled before taking a preemptive measure by going down on Yami.

The feeling of Kaiba's talented mouth around his member was almost more than Yami could stand. A shaky sigh escaped from him, but Yami still realized that Kaiba had all but confessed that the thought of him with Jounouchi was an issue. There wasn't enough time or mental facilities to completely process that fact since Kaiba was zealously going at it, occasionally swallowing around Yami's length to maximize the pleasure. _Think about it later_, Yami told himself before completely surrendering to the pleasure.

Kaiba was satisfied by Yami's silence and he did his best to bring things to a quick end, knowing that they had very little time left. The line of questioning had displeased Kaiba and the answers were even more disturbing, but there was no time to think of such things—if ever.

It was almost surreal for Yami, knowing that his rival was sucking him off in the nurse's office where anyone could just walk in on them. In some ways, it was almost like they were in one of the themed rooms at Kaiba Corporation and Yami could only sigh and moan in the most sensuous of ways as Kaiba continued bringing him closer to the edge of bliss. It was finally too much and Yami gave in with a wordless moan, so used to maintaining his agreement to say Kaiba's name when he came.

Kaiba swallowed it all, oddly disappointed that Yami hadn't called out his name when given the opportunity. Deciding that it simply meant his training was highly successful, Kaiba ignored the thought as he released Yami's cock from him mouth. There was just something about his rival that called to something inside of him and Kaiba didn't even pretend to understand it. He looked down at Yami silently, assessing the flushed cheeks and heated scarlet gaze of his satiated rival. Yami was an intriguing problem, one that Kaiba wasn't entirely sure how to solve—or even if he wanted to.

Yami met Kaiba's gaze, unaware that his thoughts were paralleling his rival's. He couldn't comprehend his reaction to Kaiba and Yami was getting tired of thinking about it. There didn't seem to be any answers and it only seemed to complicate things further than they already were. Besides, it was so hard to care in the aftermath of sexual gratification—although Yami wasn't entirely satisfied. Something deep inside of him was still clamoring for Kaiba, yearning for something more.

The moment between them was broken when the sound of approaching footsteps were heard. Yami hurriedly tried to rearrange himself to decency, even as Kaiba as attempting to do the same at a far slower pace. Smirking at Yami with a playful wink, Kaiba exited after he was as presentable as he was going to get. Kagesawa-sensei had returned and Kaiba nodded at the woman with an apologetic smile as he explained, "I'm sorry, sensei. Satsumachi-sensei was looking for Kagegawa-sensei and I mixed up your names, but I realized it too late."

Waving it away with a chuckle, the nurse said, "Don't worry about it, Kaiba-san. It happens with far more frequency than you'd imagine."

Approaching the woman with the most charming of smiles, he was less than surprised by the way she looked away with the faintest of blushes. "I just wanted to come apologize to you personally," Kaiba smoothly continued, capitalizing on her embarrassment.

"Aren't you sweet?" she replied with a giggle that made Yami roll his eyes behind the privacy curtain and put on his shoes.

Standing slightly closer than necessary, he murmured, "I can be," flustering her further.

_Is he seriously flirting with her?_ Yami wondered with a scowl, wondering if he reacted as badly as the woman as he tried to subtly peak through the crack in the curtain.

"I also found a student on my way back to class and escorted him down here," Kaiba informed her. "I kept an eye on him for you until you returned to make up for the inconvenience I caused you."

"You are just so thoughtful," she cooed, getting more flustered as Kaiba moved even closer, almost pinning her against the desk.

"Amongst other things," Kaiba commented in a seductive voice, sending a shiver through the woman as her cheeks heated with a blush.

There was something aggravating about listening to Kaiba flirt with the female nurse and Yami found himself acting without thinking. Standing up and pushing aside the curtain, Yami didn't miss the way the woman jumped guiltily as if she had been caught doing something she shouldn't be. "I'm better now," Yami muttered, "so I'll be returning to class now."

Kagesawa looked him over with a frown as she commented, "You don't look you feel well. Are you sure that—"

Cutting her off, Yami tersely assured her, "I'll be fine, thanks."

"I'll walk him back to class just to make sure," Kaiba offered, playing the picture-perfect honor roll student act that the woman bought into completely.

"That's not necessary," Yami said icily, before glaring one last time at Kaiba.

Without another word, Yami stormed out of the room, seething with irritation without completely understanding why. The sight of Kaiba flirting so easily and openly with the school nurse bothered Yami to no end. There was some niggling doubt in the back of Yami's mind, something that whispered that he and the nurse were the same for Kaiba—an easy target.

He couldn't really afford to delude himself when it came to certain things with Kaiba. Yami knew that there were no genuine emotions that tied them together; there was only money and an unhealthy obsession. He knew without a doubt that if he hadn't visited the brothel, nothing would have changed between them—he never would have become aware of what was possible. So why did he feel almost disappointed that Kaiba could and would flirt just as easily with the woman as with him? Had he really believed that he had occupied a more special place within Kaiba's existence? Was that even what he wanted?

Yami was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he was startled by someone grabbing his wrist to stop him. Angrily turning around and yanking his hand free, Yami's eyes blazed furiously as he silently assessed Kaiba with a hostile glare.

To say that Kaiba was surprised by the hateful look aimed his way would be an understatement; it was a complete mystery to him how Yami could go from being so sensuous to enraged so quickly. "What the hell is your problem?" Kaiba asked, sounding particularly condescending.

Opening his mouth as if to answer, Yami immediately shut it before turning back around and walking away, leaving behind a very confused Kaiba. Growling in agitation, Kaiba stalked after Yami, refusing to accept the brush off from his rival.

Yami had made it to the stairwell before Kaiba interfered in his escape again. Forcibly dragging Yami behind the staircase and out of sight from prying eyes that might pass by, Kaiba slammed him hard against the brick wall. Meeting Yami's gaze with a fierce look of his own, Kaiba coldly ordered, "Explain yourself," less than amused by Yami's puzzling behavior.

"Let go of me," Yami growled, less than pleased to find himself pinned against a wall by his still-erect rival.

"After you tell me what the fuck is going on," Kaiba consented, tightening his grip as a precautionary measure.

"Let. _Go_," Yami hissed, sounding more menacing than Kaiba would have imagined possible for someone of his slight stature.

Completely unfazed, Kaiba leaned forward and countered in an identical tone, "Answer me."

Using the wall as support, Yami pushed himself off of it and succeeded in freeing himself. Shoving hard at Kaiba's chest, Yami spat, "Fuck you!"

"You're more than welcome to, but—"

Yami interrupted Kaiba with a harsh, "Just stop!"

Quickly getting fed up, Kaiba once again forced Yami back against the wall and said, "I could say the same to you. My patience is wearing thin."

"_Your_ patience?" Yami indignantly repeated, his voice rising in pitch.

Realizing they were getting nowhere fast and the class change was quickly approaching, Kaiba hazard a guess, "Is this about the nurse?" It was the only thing that Kaiba could see that had changed in the past few minutes.

As much as Yami wanted to deny it, he wouldn't lie. Looking down, feeling somewhat foolish and ashamed, Yami was unable to meet Kaiba's frustrated gaze as he muttered, "We're all the same aren't we?"

Frowning slightly, Kaiba took a moment to figure out how best to proceed. It was a larger issue than Kaiba felt like dealing with, but he found himself confessing with all seriousness, "You are not," before initiating a hard kiss to hide his embarrassment.

Pulling away from it, Yami skeptically refused to accept it and he argued, "We all pay you."

"You're not paying me now," Kaiba countered as his lips found Yami's neck.

"Neither was she," Yami accidentally said out loud as he moved away from Kaiba's kiss, immediately regretting it.

Pausing in his actions, Kaiba straightened up and forced Yami to look at him before replying, "You do know that I was covering for you, right?"

"What difference does that make? Yami questioned, sounding more bitter than he had intended.

"She doesn't matter," Kaiba firmly stated, trying to get Yami to infer his own meaning. "None of the rest of them do."

Taking a moment to let the statements sink in, Yami blinked rapidly as he tried to process the deeper meaning. He thought he understood that Kaiba was implying that he mattered, but Yami couldn't bring himself to readily believe such a thing. "What are you saying?" Yami hesitantly asked, looking up through his bangs at Kaiba.

"You've been around the stupid mutt too long if you can't figure it out," Kaiba murmured before capturing Yami's lips to silence him.

If Yami had thought he was confused before, it was nothing in comparison to what he was experiencing now. "I don't understand," Yami complained in between kisses.

"You don't need to," Kaiba gruffly said before accidentally thrusting against his rival when Yami shifted his hips, still desperate for relief. "Just accept it."

Growling lowly in his throat over being told what to do, Yami's resistance was wearing down and he found himself giving in despite himself. It was all consuming and Yami's arms betrayed him by embracing Kaiba, his hands entangling in brunette hair and holding his rival close. Kaiba's hands slid under Yami's shirt to stroke overly sensitized skin, forcing their hips together. He moaned softly with need, the sound echoing in the otherwise empty stairwell.

The moment between them was broken by the sound of the bell and a sudden rush of student voices and footsteps as the change of classes began. Kaiba and Yami looked at each other for a long moment, still holding each other intimately despite the risks as students noisily descended the stairs above them. Against his better judgment, Kaiba leaned forward for a slow, lingering kiss, just the faintest brushing of lips to impart sentiments unspoken—perhaps even unspeakable. It made Yami hold on all the tighter as he savored the sensation, his instincts refusing to give Kaiba up, even though his commonsense was screaming at the irresponsibility of their behavior and the potential consequences.

Finally Kaiba pulled back with a smoldering look that made Yami shiver in anticipation for something that could never happen under those circumstances. Relinquishing his position against the wall, Kaiba trailed the back of his fingers along Yami's heated blush and down to his full lips that instinctively parted slightly. Rubbing his thumb lightly along Yami's lower lip, Kaiba murmured, "I'll see you seventh period," before impishly adding, "provided you can wait until then."

Swatting the hand away in irritation over the comment, Yami muttered, "You are so full of yourself!"

Basking in the perversion, Kaiba retorted, "I'd rather be full of you," before disappearing around the staircase with a laugh as he joined the other students heading to class.

Yami slid down the wall to a crouching position and rested his head on his knees as he hugged them tight to his chest. It was all almost too much to handle and Yami groaned softly to himself. He knew that he had it bad, even if he didn't understand the full extent of it. Still, it was hard to suppress that little burst of warmth within, that fire that seemed to burn so much hotter whenever Kaiba was near.

* * *

Having just recently been satiated and given something else to think about, it made it a little easier for Yami to get through classes—at least without any visibly embarrassing side effects.

Packing up his things in preparation to go to lunch, Yami could hardly believe that it was already the start of sixth period. He was looking forward to eating, but not necessarily lunch; Jounouchi had jumped to too many conclusions for that to be possible. Yami's suspicions were confirmed the moment he exited the classroom and found Jounouchi waiting by the door for him.

Holding back a sigh, Yami's only outward reaction of distress was the way he tightened his grip on his bookbag strap. Jounouchi failed to notice the subtle sign and instead jumped straight into it by announcing, "We need to talk, Yami."

Trying his best to play it off, Yami explained, "There's nothing to talk about," and desperately wished his friend would just accept it for once and drop the issue as they walked together to lunch.

"I can tell that there's something going on," Jounouchi insisted. "I'm not that much of an idiot."

"Stop being so paranoid," Yami told his friend, a note of irritation creeping into his voice. "You're making more of it than there actually is because you hate him and are trying to see something that's not there."

"So you _do_ admit that there is something to it," Jounouchi triumphantly countered, seizing on the technicality of Yami's statement.

Sighing heavily and getting more agitated by the moment, Yami asked, "What exactly are you hoping to hear?"

The question caused Jounouchi to pause temporarily in his inquisition. He could tell that something was up between the two rivals and it bothered him to no end. Yami was his best friend and he didn't want him around Kaiba because…well, he wasn't quite sure why, but Jounouchi hated the level of familiarity developing between them. "What he is to you," Jounouchi finally answered.

"What the hell kind of question is that?" Yami scoffed with a snort, trying not to overreact, despite the way his heart was hammering in nervousness. "He is what he's always been."

It felt like a lie on some level and Yami inwardly groaned. While it was true that Kaiba was still insufferable at times and had always been his rival, he had suddenly become so much more than that. Yami didn't know how to definite it anymore; it all just got lumped under the category of "complicated." Kaiba might have found it intriguing, but Yami thought the whole thing was becoming a convoluted mess. It was rapidly becoming apparent that Kaiba was more than just a rival and the fact that Jounouchi was picking up on it made him wonder who else suspected that there was something more going on between them.

"Yeah, a real pain in the ass, the condescending bastard," Jounouchi agreed, oblivious to what thoughts and concerns were plaguing his friend.

"So what are you so worried about, then?" Yami asked, trying his best not to sound as exasperated as he felt. He was just so tired of dealing with his friend's issues on the issue; he had enough to deal with on his own.

Ruffling his own hair, Jounouchi looked sheepishly at Yami as he replied, "I don't know, I just—it's just…I can't shake the feeling that he's hiding something."

"You know that he's just antagonizing you," Yami pointed out, even though it wasn't the entire truth.

"I hate feeling like I'm playing into his hand," Jounouchi confessed as they finally reached the lunchroom. "Fucking manipulative bastard."

"Then just ignore him," Yami suggested just before the final bell rang. "He can't play you if you aren't playing at all, right?"

Shrugging as they headed over to their usual table to meet the rest of their friends, Jounouchi conceded, "Yeah, I guess. Sorry, man. He just pisses me off so much!"

"I noticed," Yami dryly replied, rolling his eyes at the obviousness of the assertion.

Realizing that nothing further could come of their discussion, Jounouchi finally got around to inquiring, "So how are you feeling, anyway?"

"Much better now," Yami answered, blushing at his own innuendo and the memories of who had made him feel better and how.

* * *

**A/N:** It was bound to happen sooner or later and all is not as it seems. *wicked grin*

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Although it wasn't the first time that Yami had touched himself while thinking of Kaiba, he felt strangely self-conscious about the act given the circumstances. There was something oddly dissatisfying about having to pleasure himself when he compared it to the way being with Kaiba made him feel. All it did was make him long for Kaiba's touch even more and Yami growled in irritation at the insatiable need to see his rival._

The next chapter goes up on **Sunday, November 29th**, which is my birthday! I wish I was posting Chapter 13 instead, because it's a little more suitable for the occasion, but alas it didn't quite work out that way. Unless by some miracle I gift all of us with an _Entangled_ posting or an update of _AA_, of course…


	12. Chapter 12: Disquiet

**A/N: ** There's a little bit of solo action in this one, but nothing that should disturb any of you who have made it thus far.

* * *

**Chapter 12: Disquiet**

Yami sighed heavily as he stared blankly at the book in front of him, unable to pay attention to the words. It had been such a long day and he was exhausted by it all; between Kaiba and Jounouchi, Yami didn't know who was worse. Resting his head on the desk, Yami closed his eyes and wished that it wasn't so complicated. He was getting more and more confused by the experience and Yami just didn't know what to do anymore.

A quiet knock on his bedroom door distracted Yami and he called out, "Come in," as he sat up straight and tried to act normal.

Yuugi entered Yami's bedroom and asked, "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"No," Yami reassured him with a small smile as he turned his chair around to look at Yuugi. "What's up?"

"Uhm, do you have a minute?" Yuugi questioned hesitantly as he sat down on Yami's bed.

Furrowing his eyebrows at Yuugi's behavior, Yami asked, "Is everything okay?"

"That's kind of what I wanted to ask you," Yuugi replied with a wan smile.

Yami tried to fake innocence, even though he doubted it worked well on him, "What do you mean?"

Looking down at the floor as he tried to gather his thoughts, Yuugi finally explained, "Well…it's just that…you've not been yourself recently and…"

"And?" Yami prompted, sensing where the conversation was heading and wondering how to get around it.

"And I'm worried," Yuugi finished his thought, looking up at Yami with genuine concern. "You and Jounouchi-kun are always fighting, plus you just seem so…distracted lately. Did something happen?"

Running his fingers through his hair in agitation, Yami met Yuugi's gaze, unaware of the heavy sadness in his crimson eyes. "What did he tell you?" Yami asked, sounding resigned and exhausted all at once. "Let me guess: Kaiba?"

Feeling a little guilty, Yuugi nodded sheepishly as he confirmed, "Yeah, but it wasn't anything specific, he's just…we're all just a little concerned."

"Since when did everyone start giving a shit about Kaiba?" Yami muttered irritably, sounding harsher than he meant to.

Yuugi was taken aback by Yami's tone and demeanor and he tried to tactfully answer, "Even you have to admit that Kaiba-kun's been—"

"We have three classes together," Yami interrupted to explain, "and yeah, we talk sometimes, but what's the big deal? He's my rival, not my enemy, which _apparently_ Jounouchi-kun can't understand."

"It's just…look, I don't know how to say this without upsetting you," Yuugi stated, his cheeks flushing in his embarrassment.

"Just say it," Yami told him, bracing himself for the worst.

"Promise you won't get mad?" Yuugi timidly asked as he worried his lower lip.

Getting annoyed and trying to clamp down on the reaction, Yami repeated, "Just say it, Yuugi."

Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, Yuugi proceeded to awkwardly say, "Jounouchi-kun told me about Kaiba Corporation."

"Probably more than you ever wanted or needed to know," Yami joked, although he wasn't completely kidding. Jounouchi tended not to understand certain boundaries of decency when it came to things like that.

"Yeah," Yuugi agreed with a quiet chuckle before turning serious once more, "but he told me about Blue Eyes White Dragon and how he thinks the guy looks like Kaiba-kun."

"So?" Yami asked, trying not to betray himself. "Even if it was, it doesn't make a damn difference."

Yuugi remained silent for a moment as he assessed Yami, before finally guessing, "It is him, isn't it? That's why you keep getting into fights with Jounouchi-kun."

"Fuck," Yami whispered as he rested his elbows on his knees and put his head in his hands. He knew he could never lie to his own blood relative, but this wasn't how he wanted to deal with it. "Yuugi, I—"

Getting off of the bed and walking over to Yami, Yuugi crouched down in front of him and gently touched his arms in reassurance. "It's okay," Yuugi softly tried to comfort Yami.

"No, it fucking isn't!" Yami vehemently swore, refusing to look at Yuugi. "And Jounouchi-kun—"

"Still hasn't figured it out," Yuugi interrupted to say.

"He's going to," Yami darkly predicted, fearing for the worst. "Hell, he almost has."

Yuugi sighed softly as he tried to figure out the best way to handle the situation. "You're protecting Kaiba-kun, aren't you?"

"Who the hell knows?" Yami replied as he finally dared to look at Yuugi.

"It's more than just that, isn't it?" Yuugi shrewdly realized.

"I don't know," Yami sighed, resting his chin on his hands. "It's just…complicated."

Smiling in what he hoped was a reassuring manner, Yuugi offered, "For what it's worth, I fully support you, no matter what happens," before adding impishly, "and Kaiba-kun, too."

Yami's jaw dropped slightly in disbelief and he questioned, "What exactly are you implying?"

"That it suddenly makes a lot more sense," Yuugi coyly answered. "I've seen the way Kaiba-kun looks at you."

"Since when?" Yami exclaimed, completely in shock at Yuugi's words.

"Since the first time you scored higher on a test than him, probably," Yuugi playfully teased, although he wasn't entirely sure he was wrong.

"Impossible," Yami denied, although he could feel the telltale blush on his cheeks.

Yuugi was just relieved that the tension seemed to have dissipated and he teased, "Well, how long have you noticed him?"

"We are _not_ having this conversation," Yami groaned, feeling horribly embarrassed.

"Why not? Anzu-chan and I have suspected something for awhile now," Yuugi justified with a shrug. "You've even agreed with us in the past that there's something more to his obsession with you. Besides, Kaiba-kun makes sense, if you really think about it."

"Glad you think so," Yami sarcastically muttered, "because it's confusing as hell from this end."

Standing up and patting Yami on the shoulder before giving it a reassuring squeeze, Yuugi said, "You'll figure it out."

"Let's just hope that Jounouchi-kun doesn't," Yami muttered.

"It'll be fine," Yuugi said with more confidence than he actually had. "Hey, do you want to grab dinner with me and Anzu-chan?"

Realizing what Yuugi was trying to do, Yami politely refused, "No, I'm not going to crash your date, but thanks."

"It would just be friends hanging out," Yuugi said, knowing that Anzu wouldn't mind under the circumstances. "You could bring Kaiba-kun if it would make it less awkward for you."

"You did not just say that!" Yami exclaimed incredulously, completely floored by Yuugi's playful teasing.

"Sorry," Yuugi apologized with a laugh, although he sounded far from repentant. "I'll see you after I get back, okay?"

Nodding his agreement, Yami agreed, "Sure, have a good time."

"Do you want us to bring you anything back for dinner?" Yuugi offered. "Jii-chan is out with Arthur-san."

"I'll fend for myself," Yami said as he waved Yuugi away. "Oh, and Yuugi?"

Pausing before leaving, Yuugi asked, "Yes?"

"Thank you," Yami sincerely told Yuugi, grateful for the genuine support.

"Anytime," Yuugi replied with a happy smile. "Have a good night."

"I'll try," Yami replied, feeling relief from a pressure he hadn't been aware he had been suffering from over the whole thing.

* * *

Yami had tried to return to his reading, but it was to no avail. He kept getting distracted by thoughts that were best left alone and he decided that a shower was in order. Figuring that it would be more prudent to disrobe in his bedroom and put them in the hamper instead of carrying them back afterward, Yami stood up and stripped out of his shirt, languidly stretching as he did so. He began walking over to his hamper while unbuttoning his pants when his reflection in his full length mirror and caused Yami to pause. Turning to face his reflection properly, Yami was shocked by what he saw.

Evidence of Kaiba's displeasure stubbornly remained on Yami's skin, taking the form of a small hickey on his hip. Almost in shock, Yami looked down to see it for himself, not fully trusting the image in the mirror. He felt compelled to touch it, to confirm its existence beyond a reasonable doubt. Once again returning his focus to the mirror, Yami watched himself run his fingers over the mark, staring at it in a state of disbelief.

It was almost surreal to see and Yami gently poked the mark, feeling the faintest hint of pain. The sensation immediately called to mind the moment he received the mark and Yami blushed slightly, still running his thumb over the bruise. It brought to mind that fiercely dominating look in those possessive blue eyes and Yami was affected even now by it. He could feel that familiar heat already flaring to life inside of him and Yami swallowed hard, trying to smother the internal fire that Kaiba had unintentionally started.

There was some inexplicable need to keep touching it, to continue exploring the boundaries of Kaiba's wrath. The longer Yami stared at it, he was suddenly reminded of how the whole incident started: in the bathroom. He remembered how Kaiba had come to stand behind him, the exchanged looks seen in the mirror. It had fascinated Yami to watch Kaiba kiss his neck, to see those expressions he normally missed.

Yami could feel himself to start to harden and it was enough to pull him from far too tempting thoughts. Finally turning away from the mirror, Yami hurriedly stripped out of the rest of his clothes. He scowled down at his semi-erect member, trying to will it away as he headed to the bathroom for his shower.

Walking to the bathroom in the nude, Yami grabbed a towel on the way before dropping it outside of the shower and starting the water. Deciding against a cold shower, Yami set the water to a high temperature. Blanking his mind, Yami tried to push it all out of his mind, tried to ignore anything related to Kaiba or such troublesome thoughts, but it was met with limited success. However, as soon as he started to wash and brushed against the mark again, Yami's thoughts went right back to it.

Although it wasn't the first time that Yami had touched himself while thinking of Kaiba, he felt strangely self-conscious about the act given the circumstances. That didn't stop him from letting his free hand traverse from the mark up to toy with a nipple, pinching it to see what sort of reaction it elicited; it felt good, but it still wasn't enough. Yami imagined the feel of Kaiba's lips against his neck and the sound of that smug little laugh that he was so fond of making. He thought of Kaiba's strong hands on his body, matching his gestures to the one's he was fantasizing about to try and make it feel a little more realistic as he continued jerking off at a slow rate.

Leaning against the wall, Yami gasped at the chill it sent through him, but he didn't let it stop him. Instead, Yami trailed his hand lower, slipping it in between his thighs and spreading them further apart. He fondled his sac, banging his head back against the tiles with a soft groan that echoed. It made Yami start pumping faster, thrusting into his fist as he imagined Kaiba pressed close against him.

Yami was so lost in fantasy, that he didn't initially notice when his hand wandered from his balls and moved toward the one place that seemed to fascinate Kaiba. His fantasy corresponded accordingly and Yami shuddered when he remembered the way Kaiba's fingers always seemed to stray to his entrance. Obviously there was some pleasure to be had, but that didn't stop the nervous flutter in Yami's stomach every time Kaiba's fingers started to probe the sensitive area. As his own fingers started to explore there, the weirdness of it pulled Yami from his fantasy as he realized what he was doing. Panting a little as he moved his hands away, Yami was so close and yet he could not bear to bring himself to completion; it was just too strange.

Besides, there was something oddly dissatisfying about having to pleasure himself when he compared it to the way being with Kaiba made him feel. All it did was make him long for Kaiba's touch even more and Yami growled in irritation at the insatiable need to see his rival. And yet, thinking about Kaiba's reaction to the hickey sent a thrill of excitement through Yami as he brushed against the mark with his hand. Imagining the smug sense of self-satisfaction that Kaiba would approach him with made Yami react on a hormonal level and he could already feel himself making an argument about visiting Kaiba Corporation. After all, he wouldn't have to justify his disappearance to either his grandfather or Yuugi since they weren't there, and that was a huge factor for discretely leaving; it was getting harder to make up believable excuses for his visits.

Once the idea had formed, Yami felt that all too familiar since of excitement at the prospect of seeing Kaiba that evening. He found himself hurrying through his shower without any further thought to self-gratification, unable to deny himself the pleasure of Kaiba's presence, disturbing as that need was to him; there was just no substitute for being buried hilt deep in his rival.

* * *

As Yami once again skulked into Kaiba Corporation under the cover of night, he wondered if the shameful feeling would ever go away. His eyes immediately sought out Ishi and she smiled warmly at Yami as he approached the counter, the others greeting him with a perfunctory, "Good evening, sir."

Nodding politely, Yami was relieved when Ishi walked around the desk and gestured for him to follow her to the elevator. He eagerly followed her and asked, "How are you?"

"Fine, sir. And yourself?" she politely returned, reaching out with a perfectly manicured finger and pushing the fifth floor button. Yami found it unusual, but he didn't comment on the deviation.

When the doors opened, the floor looked like a typical hotel corridor and Yami followed her into the second room on the right. It was a minimalist style longue with oversized leather couches and low glass tables. He instinctively looked around for Kaiba, but wasn't overly alarmed by his absence; it wasn't as if he didn't arrive later normally. It was on his second glance around that he realized that there was no other door for Kaiba to enter from and Yami looked questioningly at Ishi. "Where is he?" Yami finally asked, confused by her remaining next to the small wet bar.

"He will be available in about half an hour," Ishi answered, "so I've brought you to the VIP lounge to wait. Can I get you anything to drink?"

The news hit Yami harder than he would have thought. "Is he with someone else?" Yami hesitantly questioned, unaware of the sudden tension that was visible in his stance as he viscerally reacted to the knowledge.

It was against company policy to disclose that information, but the answer was obvious enough without being spoken. Her gaze softened in sympathy at the way Yami was noticeably upset and Ishi couldn't help but feel bad for him. "Would you like me to come retrieve you when he's available?" she softly replied, her non-answer telling Yami everything he needed to know.

"Sure," he flatly replied, although he was barely aware of speaking. It was only once she left that Yami's thoughts began to race and he anxiously started to pace, all former joy in his visit gone.

He knew that Kaiba working at the brothel meant that countless others had touched and experienced him, but Yami tended to ignore the broader implications of it. There was a small comfort in knowing that no other patron would "know" Kaiba as he did, but Yami had to question what that meant. He thought he did, but Yami still didn't understand why Kaiba was working there; all he had were unconfirmed theories based on unsubstantiated assumptions. It suddenly seemed to take on a new meaning of importance and Yami growled to himself at his troublesome flood of emotions.

Yami couldn't stop imagining what was going on upstairs, couldn't stop himself from picturing Kaiba with someone else. It was easy to think of Kaiba on top of a woman, pleasuring her skillfully with his confident and dominating nature. Thinking of Kaiba thrusting into a submissive male was also quick to come to mind and Yami stopped pacing as the image played out further.

His mind stubbornly superimposed himself as the one on the bottom, wrapping his legs around Kaiba's waist and embracing his rival completely as they moved in unison to the heights of pleasure. But he wasn't the one with Kaiba—some other paying customer was.

Even though Yami logically understood that there were others, he couldn't stand the thought of it. Yami hated that he was one of many, that Kaiba was obligated by the financial transaction only. And yet, it always felt like there was something more going on between them, an undeniably deep connection that served as a more genuine link than money. Was it real or just another degree of fabrication created by the illusions of the brothel?

The urge to flee was strong; the thought of being with Kaiba under those circumstances was suddenly a lot less appealing. Although Yami knew that the brothel practiced safe sex, the thought of it suddenly made him feel dirty, almost used, and definitely pathetic. _I'm no different than the rest of them_, Yami mentally sneered, feeling a brief flash of self-hatred before his common sense kicked in to argue. He cared about Kaiba as a person—not for his Blue Eyes White Dragon persona—and perhaps that was the problem. Yami didn't want to be lumped in with the rest of the brothel patrons and that was what finally made him act.

Moving with sudden determination, Yami left the small room and walked back to the elevator. Even though part of Yami's conscience argued that he should stay so that no other could be with Kaiba in that time, he just couldn't bring himself to wait. It was hypocritical of him to suddenly be freaked out by the thought of Kaiba with another person, but it bothered Yami to think about it. Would Kaiba moan the same way for someone else like he did for Yami? Would Kaiba make them feel the same way as he managed to make Yami feel? They were troublesome questions that hurt far more than Yami cared to admit.

The ride down was a quick one and Yami tried to sneak out with notice and failed to do so. "Sir, is everything okay?" Ishi's voice called out to him, a note of genuine concern evident.

Unaware of how his troubled expression betrayed his emotional turmoil, Yami stated, "Yeah, I just…I can't tonight, sorry."

She started to protest, but Yami had already started to walk away. Ishi frowned sadly as she watched him go and she had the faintest of suspicion about the real reason Yami had left in such a rush.

* * *

It was a relief to crawl into an unoccupied bed and Kaiba relaxed into the comforts of his luxurious sheets. As much as he hated his bastard of an adoptive father, at least the man provided the best that money could buy. Sighing heavily in an attempt to relieve himself of residual stress, Kaiba contemplated taking a quick nap before his next client. He was absolutely exhausted and the shower after a particularly vigorous client had sapped the last of his energy.

A soft knock on the door interrupted Kaiba's light doze and his permission was muffled through his pillow. Ishi still understood and complied, shutting the door behind her before walking over to him. "How are you, Seto-sama?" Ishi inquired as she sat down in the bedside chair.

Muffled grumbling was the only answer that Ishi got as Kaiba turned his head to face her. He immediately took note of her troubled expression. It was enough to get Kaiba to sit up despite his body's protests to look at her properly to ask, "What happened?""

Looking down at her hands, Ishi hesitated momentarily before answering, "Your next patron already left."

"Permanently?"

"I'm not sure," Ishi honestly replied as she looked at Kaiba. "He seemed rather…_distressed_."

Kaiba was mentally going through his list of patrons, but abruptly stopped at her last adjective. There was only one person he knew who would ever be distressed or disturbed at the brothel. "Yami?" Kaiba flatly guessed, even though he inherently knew that he was right.

Nodding glumly, she said, "I tried to stop him, but…"

"Shit," he swore softly under his breath, irritably running his fingers through his hair. He could well imagine the reason Yami left in a distraught state and Kaiba already knew he was in for damage control tomorrow. "He knew I was with someone?"

"I'm sorry," she apologized as she bowed her head, misunderstanding the source of Kaiba's agitation.

Waving it away, Kaiba told her, "Don't worry about it, it's not like it's your fault." No, it was Yami's fault for being such an idiot about something like this, Kaiba decided.

"Still," she insisted, worrying not only about Yami, but about Gozaburo's reaction later.

"It'll be fine," Kaiba said, hoping that he was right. "Look, I'm going to try and rest before the next one shows up. Don't let it worry you, okay?"

Recognizing the dismissal, Ishi stood with a formal bow and a final parting word before leaving. Once alone, Kaiba flopped back onto the bed with a sigh and closed his eyes. He was irritated by Yami's reaction, but Kaiba also couldn't help but understand it. They obviously were going to have to talk and Kaiba was already annoyed; he was still miffed that Yami had chosen to leave. He felt oddly cheated out of the rare enjoyable patron and Kaiba was irritated by his own reaction. Then there was Gozaburo's reaction if he found out when he returned from his visit to Macau the next day; Kaiba could only hope that he could explain his way out of any repercussions since hoping for his adopted father to remain ignorant was unrealistic.

Sighing heavily in disappointment and frustration, Kaiba closed his eyes and tried to sleep it away; he could worry about it later.

* * *

**A/N: **I worked a bit on _Anywhen, Anywhere_ chapter 18, but it just didn't come together in time for posting. Hopefully this isn't too disappointing.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_What the hell are you doing?" Yami demanded in between kisses as Kaiba started trying to undo his shirt next._

"_Proving a point," Kaiba replied in an irritated tone as he undid another button_

_Thwarting Kaiba's hands from progressing any further, Yami demanded, "About what?"_

"_About why you shouldn't have left last night," Kaiba murmured as he stole another kiss, this one slightly less vicious, but no less passionate._

Somehow I think that's a little closer to the pace people were looking for, ne? It's another long one with some character development amongst it all, so please be sure to check back on **December 6th** for the next part. I'm still in shock that this almost has 200 reviews!, though! I feel like I was just gushing about breaking 100 so quickly, so thank you so much! I'm getting so spoiled by you guys. Much love for you all, as always.


	13. Chapter 13: Progress

**Chapter 13: Progress**

"You're avoiding me."

The sound of Kaiba's voice startled Yami almost as much as the accusation. It wasn't an entirely untrue claim, but Yami had been trying to ignore the thoughts and memories of Kaiba, which in turn meant distancing himself from the teen himself. Things had gotten entirely too out of hand and Yami was afraid that if he didn't try to slow down things between them, he would be completely consumed by the fire; plus he was still disturbed by what had happened the previous night when he had attempted to visit Kaiba. It was getting far too dangerous in too many different levels and on top of that, Yami didn't want to risk Jounouchi finding out about Kaiba's secret. After all, if Yuugi had figured it out, how much longer would it be before Jounouchi did? Of course, it raised the troublesome question of who he was actually trying to protect, mostly because Yami knew the answer and it had nothing to do with Jounouchi. _How the hell did it ever come to this?_ Yami wondered.

Kaiba narrowed his eyes in irritation as Yami continued to lie motionless on the school's roof, obviously cutting class—one that they happened to share. "So now you're giving me the silent treatment?" Kaiba scornfully asked, his tone harsh with disdain. "Real fucking mature, Yami."

"No," Yami denied as he opened his eyes and blinked blindly in the bright sunshine, "I was just thinking."

Irritation calmed to annoyance, but Kaiba was still far from pleased. "Answer my question," Kaiba tersely ordered, staring down at Yami in disapproval.

The bright sun glare made it hard to look up at Kaiba and Yami squinted and shielded his eyes as he pointed out, "You stated an assumption."

"Do you deny it?"

Instead of answering directly, Yami muttered, "When did you both get so fucking paranoid?"

It was the wrong response and Kaiba felt a ripple of rage wash over him that caused him to kneel over Yami's waist and lean forward to pin the insolent teen to the ground. "You dare to compare this Kaiba Seto to that worthless excuse for a mutt?" Kaiba growled, his grip tightening on Yami's wrists in displeasure.

"When you're both acting like children, yeah," Yami defiantly replied, willing himself not to get distracted by their positions.

Kaiba's pride wanted to lash out, but reason won out because of one specific realization, "You're deliberately dodging my question."

"And your attitude is pissing me off," Yami shot back, his own ire coming to the surface. "You come up here and—"

"I wouldn't have to if you weren't purposely avoiding me," Kaiba argued, irked at his own impulsive action.

"What difference does it make to you?

It was a question that Kaiba wasn't sure he could answer, so he settled for, "Because if this is about the mutt and the other day—"

"Do you not care at all that he could find out?" Yami interrupted in his exasperation. "That anyone could?"

"Like anyone would fucking believe that delinquent," Kaiba muttered before initiating a harsh kiss in an attempt at distraction.

It was far too tempting to give in, but Yami's temper prevailed and he pulled away as much as his position would allow. "Are you really going to risk it?" Yami heatedly argued, crimson eyes flashing angrily.

"Are you really going to stop coming because of such a stupid reason?" Kaiba countered, not completely realizing what he had said until it was too late.

Yami's eyes went wide in disbelief before narrowing challenging as he impishly retorted, "Why? Would you miss me?"

"Maybe," Kaiba coyly responded before leaning forward and stealing a devastatingly passionate kiss.

Yami didn't have time to process the full implications of the answer because he was being overwhelmed by Kaiba. What he had sworn to avoid was suddenly all too present and Yami gave in, hungrily returning the kiss and straining against Kaiba's hold. Kaiba growled lowly as he dominated Yami's desires, having been thoroughly irritated by being denied. He was pissed that he wanted Yami as much as he did, couldn't stand the fact that he was craving his rival so intensely. Kaiba took it out on Yami with punishing kisses, pleased with the noises he was inspiring.

It was frustrating to Yami to be completely out of control and he nipped at Kaiba's lower lip to try and dissuade him. Kaiba refused to be deterred and he became more aggressive, roughly undoing the buttons on Yami's uniform. "What the hell are you doing?" Yami demanded in between kisses as Kaiba started trying to undo his shirt next.

"Proving a point," Kaiba replied in an irritated tone as he undid another button

Thwarting Kaiba's hands from progressing any further, Yami demanded, "About what?"

"About why you shouldn't have left last night," Kaiba murmured as he stole another kiss, this one slightly less vicious, but no less passionate.

It was all too easy to get caught up in the sensations, but Yami still continued trying to protest, "I just, I couldn't—I _can't_—"

"Can't what? Handle the mutt finding out?" Kaiba sneered, sounding crueler than he meant to.

"No, I can't stand that you work there!" Yami angrily corrected Kaiba, his cheeks flushing at his own confession.

"That hasn't stopped you from going in the past," Kaiba pointed out, not taking the protest as it was meant.

Narrowing his eyes in irritation as he shoved hard at Kaiba's chest to push him away, Yami snapped, "I'm being serious, damn it!"

"So am I," Kaiba retorted, his tone finally reflecting it. "It is none of your concern, so—"

"It is my concern!" Yami interrupted to protest.

It was moments such as this when Kaiba realized Yami had a legitimate membership to the Friendship Brigade that was helmed by Anzu; his rival cared far too much about something that had nothing to do with him because of some misguided understanding about their relationship. "No, it's not," Kaiba coldly informed Yami, surprised to see anger rather than defeat in those defiant crimson eyes.

"So you're really there because you enjoy it?" Yami asked, a note of hysteria creeping into his exasperation. He just couldn't stand the thought that Kaiba was okay with being debased by so many people and for as long as he had—however long that had been.

Shrugging nonchalantly, Kaiba insisted, "Pleasure is pleasure, regardless of what form it takes."

"Oh, and if Jounouchi-kun showed up, you'd still find pleasure in that?" Yami bitterly retorted, shocked by the ugly flair of jealousy his own words caused him to experience.

Narrowing his eyes angrily, Kaiba stated, "That can never happen, so the possibility is of no consequence to me."

"What do you mean?" Yami asked, confused by the assertion and disgusted by the weird sense of relief that flitted through him that Jounouchi would never be able to have the access needed to confirm Kaiba's true identity.

"He can't afford me," Kaiba replied with a self-depreciating smirk.

Refusing to concede his point, Yami insisted, "I'm sure that there are others that you can't stand having to…"

Despite the severity of the situation, Kaiba couldn't help but be amused by Yami's inability to voice the vulgarity of reality. "Having to fuck," Kaiba finished the sentence, his smirk turning cruel.

"_Why_?" Yami repeated, pleading with his eyes for an answer. He needed a reason, needed something to make sense about the whole situation.

"I have my reasons," Kaiba flatly answered, wishing that Yami would just accept it and move on to something else. "I don't need you to understand or approve of them, either."

Of all the reactions Kaiba had expected, Yami sitting up and embracing him tightly was not one of them. Awkwardly sitting there and receiving the attention, Kaiba sighed softly as he asked with some amount of resignation, "What are you doing?"

Saying nothing and holding Kaiba that much tighter, Yami hid his face against Kaiba's neck, struggling with the urge to try and make it better when he knew there was nothing he could do. "I don't know," Yami mumbled, feeling ridiculous.

Against his better judgment, Kaiba loosely wrapped one arm around Yami's waist as he stated, "You're being ridiculous."

"I noticed," Yami dryly replied, feeling somewhat foolish. And yet, he still didn't have any answers and that upset him; Kaiba was skillfully dodging any attempts at finding out more and it made Yami wonder what horrible truth his rival was trying so desperately to hide.

They stayed like that for a few moments before Kaiba used his free hand to make Yami look up at him. Cradling his rival's cheek, Kaiba softly told him, "You care and you shouldn't."

Silently regarding Kaiba and very conscious of the warm hand caressing him, Yami asked, "Are you any different?"

Rather than confirming or denying, Kaiba merely murmured, "You're going to get me into trouble one of these days," before leaning forward and kissing Yami with a surprising amount of tenderness. For Kaiba it wasn't a question of caring or emotions; Yami had become a person that mattered on some level and that was danger enough. And yet, much like his rival, he wasn't exactly inclined to dissuade whatever it was that was developing between them. As long as Gozaburo remained ignorant of the situation, Kaiba was confident that it would be fine.

Although the pace was initially languid and unhurried, the kiss began to become an outlet for the needy passion that they shared. It didn't matter that they were on the roof of the school out in plain sight of anyone who stumbled upon them; they were too caught up in each other. Eventually Kaiba started to push Yami back down onto the rooftop as his instincts demanded more of his rival. Yami offered no protests as Kaiba resumed kissing his way down the path of the shirt buttons. It had worked Yami into a daze and it took a moment to register the sharp intake of breath and what it corresponded to as Kaiba made a murmuring noise of approval.

The sight of the hickey on Yami's hip that he had left there in the nurse's office went straight to Kaiba's cock and he made a pleased sound of satisfaction. Kissing it gently, Kaiba was beyond pleased with the sight and the way his lips made Yami shudder with pleasure. "Is this what you came to show me last night?" Kaiba questioned, mouthing the words against the mark he had left.

It was impossible for Yami to answer straight away because of the way that Kaiba was sensually teasing the sensitive spot. His first attempt at a reply came out as a breathy moan and his second was a shaky gasp as Kaiba lightly teethed it, causing Yami to arch up in pleasure despite the pain. "No," Yami denied, unable to elaborate because he didn't trust his voice not to betray him.

"Or did you just want to see me?" Kaiba continued, lightly blowing on the mark and watching intently at the chills that rose in response.

Shifting uncomfortably under the attention, Yami growled low in his throat in protest; it wasn't fair that Kaiba could get answers when he wasn't willing to give any himself. Steadfastly remaining mute on the subject, Yami endured the skillful way that Kaiba taunted him with his lips and tongue on the mark that was coming to symbolize far more than disapproval.

Amused by the stubborn refusal to answer, Kaiba pointed out, "Not answering me is the same thing as telling me, you know."

As much as Yami wanted to make a witty retort about how the same was true in reverse, Kaiba was too cunning with his distraction tactics. Moving on from the mark, Kaiba kissed and stroked his way along Yami's torso, languidly exploring while simultaneously demolishing his rival's self-control. Kaiba smirked at the way Yami's hips mindlessly thrust against him in search of more feeling and he was content to allow it, even as he entertained himself with other things. Although he was leaving himself in a bad way once more, Kaiba felt that it would be an effective punishment for earlier and he continued working his rival up into an almost frenzied state of arousal.

It was driving Yami mad and he keened softly in his displeasure, consumed by the blinding need for Kaiba. His hands were wandering over any part of Kaiba he could touch and yet still desperate for more; it was times like this when Yami wondered if it could ever be enough. There were too many clothes, too little time, and too awkward of a circumstance for anything to really happen, but logic was completely defeated by the hormonal need that was dominating Yami's every sense that was inundated by Kaiba.

The sound of the class change bell startled them both and Kaiba pulled back from what he was doing to look down at the result. Yami was flushed and panting, looking like they had been doing far more than simply fooling around, and his scarlet eyes were dark with a desire that thrilled Kaiba. When Kaiba attempted to stand up, Yami grabbed his wrist and forcefully pulled him back down, somehow ending up on top during the process. "You are _not_ leaving me like this," Yami aggressively warned, too far gone to be shocked by his own behavior.

Although there was something deeply enticing about that dominating streak in Yami that Kaiba wanted to explore, he knew that now was not the time for such things. "Why not?" Kaiba retorted with a sexy smirk that only further distracted Yami. Taking the opportunity to flip them over and switch positions, Kaiba pinned his rival down and rocked his arousal against Yami's. "You do it to me all the time."

"I—I do?" Yami stuttered, swallowing hard at the undeniable evidence of Kaiba's claim.

"Mmhm," Kaiba confirmed as he stole a final kiss, indulging himself far more than he had ever intended to. Thrusting against Yami's erection one more time, Kaiba moved quick enough to stand without being stopped. "Consider it your punishment for leaving yesterday."

Jaw dropped in shock and protest, Yami could only make inarticulate sounds of disbelief as Kaiba walked away with a final parting shot, "I wouldn't recommend missing any more class, either. You won't enjoy that punishment nearly as much…"

Yami could only stare in shock as Kaiba walked away and he sat up with a groan, thoroughly annoyed with the situation. And yet, there was an odd sense of resolution, a sense that it was somehow okay. He almost felt relief in a weird way, that a lingering sense of anxiety about the whole situation between them had been alleviated to some extent. Although he still had some reservations about the ongoing situation between them, it was less stressful to some extent.

Realizing that he needed to get control of himself before he was late, Yami stood up and made an effort to calm his hormones before heading back downstairs to class.

* * *

The last period of the day had come and gone without a hitch, although Yami was overly aware of Kaiba's presence the whole time. When the dismissal bell rang, Yami hurriedly packed up, but was unsurprised to find Kaiba waiting for him outside of the door. "See, was that so hard?" Kaiba condescendingly taunted as they walked to their lockers to gather their things to leave for the day.

Glaring half-heartedly at Kaiba, Yami sounded particularly arrogant as he questioned, "So what's my reward?"

Raising an eyebrow at the forwardness of the request, Kaiba pressed closer to Yami than was strictly necessary when they reached the lockers to murmur, "What makes you think there's a reward?"

Stiffening slightly at the deliberate way that Kaiba was pressing against him, Yami looked over his shoulder as he pointed out, "Since you were discussing a punishment, I assumed there would be some sort of reward."

Chuckling quietly, Kaiba asked, "So what sort of reward were you hoping for that made you behave so well in class, hm?"

Shuddering at the tone of voice and the proximity to his ear, Yami pushed Kaiba back so that he could exchange out his textbooks for what he needed to do his homework that night. Before Yami could answer, Kaiba continued, "Why don't you stop by tonight and I'll show you?"

Blushing at the implications, Yami shut his locker and turned to look at Kaiba, less than surprised to see the confidently perverse expression on his rival's face. "And if I don't?" Yami challenged.

"You will," Kaiba knowingly predicted, fully aware of how Yami wouldn't be able to stay away after the tormenting on the rooftop earlier in the afternoon.

Yami wanted to object to the claim, but he knew that no matter what he said, Kaiba wouldn't believe him; then again, he wasn't sure that he would believe himself either. Instead of defending himself, Yami hoisted his backpack over his shoulder and started to walk toward the exit with Kaiba falling into step beside him. Once they were outside, Kaiba couldn't resist provoking Yami with a smug, "So should I expect you later tonight?"

"You're impossible," Yami muttered, but there was the faintest hint of a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.

Stepping out of the flow of departing students, Kaiba taunted, "So?"

Rolling his eyes, Yami automatically followed Kaiba and muttered, "Just a statement of fact."

"One that you say as if it was problem," Kaiba continued arguing.

Silently huffing, Yami glared up at Kaiba, but was once again disarmed by the playfully teasing gaze of his rival. "Maybe it is," Yami argued, getting caught up in Kaiba's pace yet again.

Once again standing closer to Yami, Kaiba pressed against him and murmured low in his ear, "Only because we're out in the open and not alone."

It was a sobering reminder and Yami reflexively looked around their surroundings, relieved to realize that no one was paying them the slightest bit of attention since they were too focused on leaving the school grounds for home. He instinctively looked for his friends, but he knew that Honda had the Beautification Committee, Jounouchi was in detention, and Yuugi and Anzu were leaving for a date; there was no one else he needed to worry about seeing them in a more private moment. "What exactly are you suggesting?" Yami questioned, returning his gaze back to Kaiba.

Kaiba also had taken the occasion to look around and his eyes narrowed when he saw who was waiting for him at the gate; there was no way to miss the buxom blonde that was getting all sorts of stares and whispers as she leaned against the gate in waiting. Mentally swearing when the woman flirtatiously winked in his direction, Kaiba murmured, "Stop by tonight and find out," before starting to walk away.

Confused by Kaiba's sudden departure, Yami turned and watched Kaiba walk away and only then did he notice the blonde woman that was waiting by the exit. Furrowing his eyebrows, Yami tried to figure out why she looked so familiar to him. It only occurred to him when he watched from a distance at the harsh way Kaiba addressed her that Yami made the connection that she was the Harpie Lady in plain street clothes. _What the hell is she doing here?_ Yami wondered, troubled by her appearance and the hardened look on Kaiba's face as he left with her. Yami couldn't help but worry about the odd appearance of the woman and he had to curb his irrational urge to follow them to find out what was happening between them.

* * *

Angrily stalking after the woman, the expression on Kaiba's face was one of stern reprimand as he hissed at her, "What the hell are you doing here, Mai?"

Tutting at his attitude, the blonde woman explained, "Ishi-chan couldn't make it, so Boss sent me."

Not wanting to garner any more attention than they had already earned, Kaiba gestured for her to follow him as they left the school. "What does that bastard want now?"

"Apparently he wants to talk to you, Dragon-sama," she answered in an official tone before laughing. "Who the hell knows?"

Realizing that Gozaburo probably wanted to discuss Yami leaving, Kaiba held back a growl and chose to merely grunt in acknowledgement instead. It was a conversation that he didn't want to have and Kaiba hoped that Yami did come tonight so that Gozaburo could see that the fears of losing the teen as a client would be unfounded.

"So who was the hottie you were with?"Mai inquired, genuinely curious about the wild looking teen that she had seen Kaiba talking with earlier.

"No one that you need to concern yourself with," Kaiba told her, sounding far sharper than he intended.

Humming with interest, Mai looked up at Kaiba with curiosity, clearly able to discern his irritation from his normally blank countenance. "He's a pretty little thing, isn't he?" she continued, blatantly ignoring Kaiba's attempt at diverting the conversation. "I wouldn't mind if he paid me a visit..."

"He won't," Kaiba all but snarled, that irritating sense of possessiveness flaring up at the thought of Yami being with her—especially once she had already been with Jounouchi.

"Planning to keep him all to yourself?" Mai teased playfully, before taking notice of the way he immediately tensed up further. "Oh my god, you are, aren't you? He comes to KC?"

Realizing that things were going in a potentially dangerous direction, Kaiba growled, "Enough!"

Completely nonplussed, Mai continued prattling, "I bet he's friend with my Puppy."

"That fucking loser dog?" Kaiba sneered, immediately cursing himself for the slip up in front of the disturbingly perceptive woman even as he was simultaneous amused that she also identified Jounouchi with a canine.

Realizing that she had her answer, Mai smiled victoriously before defending her client, "Aw, come on. Puppy is a little overeager sometimes, but he's not that bad."

"Hn," was the only response that Kaiba offered, knowing better than to delve into the topic of Jounouchi.

Sighing dramatically, Mai playfully lamented, "It's times like this that make me realize it's a pity you won't share."

Much to Kaiba's genuine shock, that increasingly annoying voice inside possessively claimed, "_Mine_," in regards to Yami and he didn't dare think further on what it meant. Instead of commenting on that, Kaiba settled for muttering, "Stop being so ridiculous."

Laughing brightly, Mai continued making small talk with her mostly silent companion as they walked to the station, wondering the whole time if she'd be able to get Ishi to tell her anything about the mysterious teen.

* * *

**A/N: **Progress by any other name, ne?

There's really not a whole lot to add to this one—or anything, actually. I'm just really excited for the upcoming arc of chapters and I hope everyone enjoys reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_There were words that Yami had meant to say, mini speeches that he had practiced on the train ride over and during his walk there, but all of his intentions had abandoned him. All he could focus on were Kaiba's lush lips and the warmth of the hand he was still holding; words were suddenly secondary in importance for Yami._

Check back in on **Sunday, December 13th** for the next chapter! It's one of my favorites thus far and is nice and long as a result!


	14. Chapter 14: Unaware

**A/N:** This one has an **extremely high lemon content**, so please be aware of that before proceeding.

* * *

**Chapter 14: Unaware**

Once they were alone in the elevator, Yami turned to Ishi and said, "I'm sorry for leaving so abruptly last time, Ishi."

Smiling at him with genuine warmth, Ishi reassured him, "I understand, sir. There's no need to apologize."

Wondering just how much the perceptive woman actually understood, Yami didn't question it as they finished the short trip up to the top floor. "He's through the first door on the left tonight," Ishi informed Yami as the doors opened to the now familiar hallway. "Please enjoy yourself."

Nodding in acknowledgement with the slightest hint of a blush, Yami exited the elevator and knocked on the appropriate door before entering. Tilting his head in confusion at the sight before him, Yami felt as if he had stepped into a luxurious opium den that was hazy with the smoke of incense and the floor covered by endlessly strewn about pillows. There were midnight blue draperies all along the intricate lattice walls that shimmered in the low lighting and the room exuded a sense of high class debauchery. The focal point was Kaiba lounging on a chaise wearing a traditional high collar white silk Chinese qipao with blue piping that matched the draperies in the room. He was the embodiment of sensual grace in languid repose and for a moment, Yami was completely entranced by the sight of Kaiba lying on his side. It took a forced effort to remember to shut the door behind him and remove his shoes before approaching.

It was like entering another world in a way and Yami felt almost heady because of the sweet and smoky incense that were burning. His sense of anticipation increased exponentially with each step closer to his goal and Yami stopped only when he was finally standing in front of Kaiba. "Welcome," Kaiba greeted with the faintest trace of a sexy smile the immediately shot through Yami like an uncontrollable wildfire.

Unsure of how to respond, Yami swallowed hard as his eyes got distracted by the high slit on the qipao that was cut almost three quarters of the way up Kaiba's thigh. It only amplified the elegance of his long limbs and Yami was already thinking about how it would feel to have those strong legs wrapped around his waist in an intimate embrace. Pulling himself from such thoughts, Yami continued trailing his gaze up Kaiba's body and came to focus on the pale expanse of his throat that was accentuated by the Mandarin high collar. He loved the way that Kaiba would tilt his head in acquiescence to affection and the rare breathy moan his kisses would elicit.

Kaiba watched the range of Yami's actions with private amusement, even though he was mentally checking himself for his relieved reaction at his rival's appearance. He had sat through a rather demeaning lecture that had worn on his nerves because of the high level of interest that Gozaburo had once again demonstrated in Yami, which had only compounded on his previous irritation with Mai for her curiosity over the teen. Much to his surprise, Yami had inadvertently bolstered his previous argument to Gozaburo by booking a full two hours rather than the normal one, clearly a reconciliatory action that Kaiba was more than okay with accepting.

Taking advantage of Yami's distraction, Kaiba reached out and took hold of Yami's hand to pull him down onto the small free space on the chaise by his stomach. Yami was startled out of his reverie and shifted his position slightly to get comfortable as he looked questioningly at Kaiba. Although Yami had shifted on his own volition, he hadn't let go of Kaiba's hand, surprising them both when he entwined their fingers on natural instinct. Confident that the position of their bodies would hide the subtle action from the cameras, Kaiba allowed the reaction as he questioned, "Feeling guilty?"

"For?" Yami asked, somewhat disoriented by the personal liberty he had just taken with his inadvertent decision to continue holding Kaiba's hand.

Making a soft scoffing noise, Kaiba's gaze softened the blow of his words, "As if you had to ask?"

Realizing the stupidity of his question, Yami looked down in embarrassment only to be distracted by the sight of their entwined hands. It leant a false sense of intimacy to their meeting, but Yami didn't let go; he wasn't even sure he could make himself do so. "Oh," Yami sighed before finally finding the will to look up at Kaiba again and maintain eye contact. There were words that he had meant to say, mini speeches that he had practiced on the train ride over and during his walk there, but all of his intentions had abandoned him. All he could focus on were Kaiba's lush lips and the warmth of the hand he was still holding; words were suddenly secondary in importance for Yami.

Leaning forward on the chaise and bracing himself on his free hand, Yami initiated a tender kiss that was an attempt to express what he had failed to do so verbally. For Kaiba, the kiss managed to be an apology and an offering all in one and he accepted it for what it was, pulling Yami closer in the process.

Kiss melted into kiss and Yami gradually found himself on top of his rival, completely caught up in the existence that was Kaiba. Kaiba's free hand worked its way into tricolored locks and eventually he freed his other hand to wrap around Yami's waist to hold him even closer. Although he normally didn't waste so much time with things like kissing, he was enjoying the pace and the fact that they had two hours to spare to such lengthy explorations.

Although there was something deeply satisfying about kissing Kaiba, it wasn't enough for Yami and eventually he moved away from his lips and trailed kisses down to his neck. Although his access was limited by the high Mandarin collar on the qipao, Yami was deliberately slow in his worship, his every sense seemingly heightened through the interaction. At the same time, Yami reached down with his free hand and trailed it along one of Kaiba's thighs, encountering the fine silk of the outfit and loving the feel of it moving against heated skin. The sensation caused Kaiba to shift underneath him, inadvertently exposing more flesh as the qipao fell away and Yami slipped his hand under the garment to continue his explorations. Although Kaiba's appearance had initially struck Yami as odd, he was quickly coming to appreciate the exotic deviation for the erotic appeal it had been intended to evoke.

Yami may have been thoroughly enjoying himself, but it was starting to make Kaiba ache for more. He started to undress Yami in an attempt to speed things up a bit and he was pleased that there was little resistance on his rival's part as his shirt was cast aside. The position was too difficult for him to do much about the pants, so Kaiba used the back of the chaise to push off of and roll them both off and onto the floor of pillows.

It had startled Yami to suddenly end up on the floor and he grunted on impact, but his reprimand was defeated by the hungry look in Kaiba's eyes as he settled himself comfortably on top of him. The position gave Kaiba a perfect view of the hickey that had fascinated him on the rooftop and he was more than ready to continue where they had left off earlier that afternoon. When Kaiba initiated the kiss, it was more heated in nature and Yami moaned into it as he gave himself over to the pleasure. Even as Kaiba asserted himself through the dominating kiss, Yami's hands were sliding up along his rival's splayed thighs and under the qipao, unable to ignore the desperate urge to feel more.

Realizing that his rival was more than complacent beneath him, Kaiba smirked in smug satisfaction and he stood up and gestured for Yami to do the same. Yami reluctantly complied and followed Kaiba into a side room that had escaped his attention earlier. It was a small alcove of sorts that was rendered intimate by the dark draperies and dim lighting, just large enough for the oversized black bed that was canopied with intricately carved woodwork that momentarily distracted Yami by the artistry of it. The midnight blue silk sheets matched perfectly with the décor and Yami couldn't help but be impressed by it all.

Somewhat annoyed by Yami's distraction, Kaiba reached out and forcibly pulled him closer by his belt. That successfully got Yami's attention and he looked up at Kaiba with mild irritation at the rough treatment, but he didn't stop his rival from undoing the belt and pulling it free with a satisfying snap of the leather. Although Kaiba had an idea of how to use the belt with Yami, he merely let it drop to the floor before working on ridding Yami of his pants.

Yami didn't assist Kaiba in the least, largely because he was too engaged in running his hands along the silk fabric of the qipao, loving the tactile sensation of the rich material. It was such a simple thing, but it felt amazingly good—far too good for what it was. There was no time to let it trouble him as Kaiba ran his hands along the curves of Yami's ass as he slid the pants off of him. Yami kicked them aside without thought as Kaiba continued letting his hands wander, setting his nerves alight with every touch.

Not wanting to be the only one naked, Yami let his hands drop to either side of Kaiba's thighs, letting his fingers gather the fabric of the qipao gather as he trailed them upward. The gentle glide of silk and featherlight touches combined with the anticipation of what was to come made Kaiba groan softly as he enjoyed the feeling. Once the fabric had been pushed halfway up Kaiba's torso, Yami started to kiss the newly exposed chest as he continued slowly stripping his rival of the only article of clothing he had. Yami felt emboldened and kissed one of Kaiba's nipples, lathing it with attention.

Deciding that the qipao had served its purpose, Kaiba pulled it off and threw it aside, eager to move on to more exciting things. Yami was annoyed with Kaiba's presumptuousness and he captured a nipple between his teeth and lightly tugged on it in reproach. Kaiba inhaled sharply at the action and looked down at Yami in surprise, becoming even more aroused by the dark fire in those challenging scarlet eyes. When Yami released the abused peak, Kaiba started to lead him over to the bed, as he instructed, "On your back."

Balking at the order, Yami started to protest, but Kaiba wouldn't have it. When kissing Yami into submission failed, Kaiba smirked before picking his rival up and relocating him onto the bed. Yami squawked indignantly at the treatment, but Kaiba merely chuckled as he joined the outraged teen in bed. Feeling excited despite the rude way he was put on the bed, Yami scooted back toward the center of it.

Pleased that he was finally being obeyed, Kaiba crawled toward him on all fours, slowly making Yami lay back as he caged his rival beneath him. Making a soft sound of approval, Kaiba stole a quick kiss before sitting back to admire the sight before him. The sight of Yami sprawled beneath him on luxurious silk sheets was immensely pleasing for Kaiba and he licked his lips in anticipation before placing both of his hands on either side of his rival's head and lowering himself closer to his rival, utterly seduced by the feel of skin against skin. "Now, where were we?" Kaiba murmured against Yami's neck before kissing it and working his way downward.

Rather than embarrassing himself in a failed attempt to answer, Yami focused on the way Kaiba was making him feel as a shaky sigh escaped. Even though he was using the softest of touches and teasing kisses, it felt beyond incredible; Yami's every sense was attuned to Kaiba's actions and he felt even more sensitive and responsive than normal. The feel of the silk sheets against his skin was divine and even his sense of smell seemed heightened; only then did Yami realized that the incense were much sweeter and stronger in the small alcove. "Is there something in the incense?" Yami finally questioned, although it took a monumental effort to compose himself while Kaiba was teasing his nipples into hardened peaks.

"You noticed?" Kaiba nonchalantly responded, even as he relentlessly continued to pleasure his rival. The incense were laced with an aphrodisiac that Kaiba often relied on for helping deal with his least favorite clients; it was only sheer curiosity that made him want to try it with someone he already enjoyed being with and see what effect it had then. So far he was harder than he could ever remember being and the need to experience Yami was almost overwhelming, but Kaiba didn't let it hurry his actions just yet.

It was a disconcerting reaction and Yami could only breathily ask, "What?"

"Don't worry about it," Kaiba told him as he switched his oral attentions to the other nipple that had been thus far neglected. "Just enjoy it for what it is."

Although Yami wanted a more concrete answer, he was too far gone to devote any more effort to pursuing an answer. All that mattered in that moment was Kaiba's touch and Yami writhed under the attention, getting increasingly worked up into an aroused frenzy. Needy groans escaped unnoticed from Yami and Kaiba relished every one of them, loving that he could affect his rival on such a level. The sounds encouraged Kaiba to work his way down Yami's body until he once again was confronted by the dark mark he had left the other day. It was a thing of great beauty to Kaiba and he reverently kissed it, smirking against it when Yami gasped sharply in response. There was an almost primal reaction to the hickey, as if he had laid claim to Yami physically through the mark; it was a concept that Kaiba was shockingly unopposed to.

Making a low, guttural noise of satisfaction, Kaiba lightly nipped at it for good measure, causing Yami's hips to jerk as he demanded, "What the hell did you do that for?"

"Because you like it," Kaiba smugly answered, sitting back to lightly run his fingers over Yami's obvious arousal.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Yami growled, irritated by the implication.

"Oh, I think you know," Kaiba practically purred, letting his fingers trail down Yami's erection and drift toward his entrance. With Yami splayed so beautifully before him, it made Kaiba want to take him all the more. "As long as it feels good, right?"

The feeling of Kaiba's fingers there made something inside of Yami flutter with nervousness and he subtly tried to move away from the sensation. "What are you implying?" Yami muttered, shivering as Kaiba continued circling the tight ring of muscles.

"The obvious," Kaiba replied with a chuckle, looking up at Yami. He frowned when he noticed the slight wrinkle of Yami's eyebrows and the anxious way he was shifting, so Kaiba bit back his disappointment as he moved his hand away from the temptation. "I'm merely stating that there are many types of pleasure."

When Yami failed to respond, Kaiba continued, "Speaking of which…I believe we were in the middle of something," as he reached under one of the pillows to pull out a condom.

The sound of the packet being opened instantly distracted Yami and he watched Kaiba carefully. Based on their positions, Yami had a momentary flash of nervousness that Kaiba was going to use it himself, but it was unfounded. Once again taking the opportunity to apply the condom on Yami, Kaiba repositioned himself above his rival. Slowly lowering himself onto Yami's erection, Kaiba didn't stop until he was completely seated.

Yami watched in fascination as his cock slowly disappeared into Kaiba, becoming even more turned on by the sight. When Kaiba intentionally constricted his muscles, Yami gasped as he instinctively thrust into that tight heat. After so much teasing during the school hours, it was almost a relief for Kaiba to finally have Yami inside of him, even if he wished it was the other way at the moment. Choosing not to dwell on it, Kaiba began to move at a slow pace to start off, enjoying the slow build up of pleasure.

It felt great and Yami tried to match Kaiba's rhythm, still feeling like he needed more. His hands reached out and once again found purchase on Kaiba's thighs, running his fingers along the quivering muscles. Although it was slightly awkward because of their positions, Yami relocated one of his hands from Kaiba's thigh to his erection. The feeling of Yami's hesitant hand on his arousal caused Kaiba to falter and he moaned his approval in the hopes to encourage a more substantial touch.

Yami did his best to accommodate the odd angle, mesmerized by the sight of Kaiba on top of him with his head tossed back with an expression of pure bliss on his face. Kaiba closed his eyes as he continued moving, his actions taking on a sense of urgency as he slammed down harder in search of the ultimate pleasure. It made it harder for Yami to try and continue working the rigid length and eventually Kaiba pushed the hand away since it was serving as more of a distraction than anything else.

Too caught up in the sensations, Yami didn't take the brush off personally and he chose to focus on moving instead. Only sighs and moans were uttered between them as they pursued their climax, their actions becoming more frenetic as they neared it. As Kaiba felt himself nearing his peak, he started to work his length on his own. Glancing down at Yami with a smoldering look of lust, Kaiba was all too taken with the sight of his rival beneath him. Thinking about having Yami under him willingly, writhing as Kaiba dominated his desires, was all too easy to picture and it made him want so much more.

Watching as Kaiba pleasured himself, Yami could only appreciate the visual, even though he felt in some weird way that he was supposed to be the one doing that. When Kaiba gave him that cocky smirk, it was too much to bear and he gave himself over to the sensation. Arching with a wordless cry, Yami came without warning, moaning in the aftermath of his release.

Taking a moment to appreciate the beauty that was a satiated Yami, Kaiba allowed himself to find release as well, his cum splattering on his rival's stomach. It was just one more way that Kaiba visibly claimed his rival and it was immensely gratifying to him for some reason. He couldn't help but notice some had made its way onto the mark he had left earlier and Kaiba's appreciation was evident on his expression.

The dark desire in those brilliant blue eyes was cause enough for Yami to ask, "What?"

"Fuck, you look good like that," Kaiba perversely murmured as he raised himself off of Yami's spent member, unable to differentiate the embarrassed blush from the flush of exertion.

"_What_?" Yami repeated, this time tinted with indignation.

It was a sight that Kaiba had already committed to memory and he doubted that was something he would ever tire of in the future. "Mm," was the only response Kaiba offered as his eyes roamed over Yami's body.

It made Yami self-conscious and he took the opportunity when Kaiba leaned forward to wrap his arms around his rival's neck and pull him close. To say that Kaiba was startled by the gesture was an understatement; he tensed up, but didn't move away. When Yami didn't release him immediately, Kaiba questioned, "What are you doing?"

"I don't feel like moving yet," Yami explained, not ready to get up and go to the bathroom immediately despite being covered in Kaiba's essence; he just felt too good to care.

"You could have just said that, you know," Kaiba pointed out, but he gave in to Yami's unspoken request as he lay down and allowed the unusual behavior.

Yami had almost expected Kaiba to reject his request, so he was pleasantly surprised by the concession, begrudging as it might have been. Sighing softly in contentment, Yami continued to enjoy the aftermath of their coupling. It was a surprising relief to feel Kaiba relaxing into the embrace and the silence was a companionable one.

Although Kaiba had his reservations about it, even he had to admit that it was kind of nice; it was a liberty he would have tried to talk anyone else out of had they asked. And yet being curled up at his rival's side was surprisingly comfortable and offered him a moment of peace that he wasn't used to having in the presence of others at the brothel. Closing his eyes and surrendering himself to the moment, Kaiba had to remind himself of the punishment he would receive if he inadvertently fell asleep in Yami's embrace—not to mention the embarrassment of it.

Yami's fingers were aimlessly tracing invisible paths along Kaiba's skin, causing the teen to shiver at the unintentional teasing touch. Although it could have easily stirred his desires, Kaiba merely luxuriated in the intimate familiarity, accidentally nuzzling Yami in response. It shocked Yami and caused him to tease, "Seriously, what's in that stuff?"

"Stuff?" Kaiba repeated, stifling a yawn as he realized Yami was talking about the incense. "No clue, why?"

Kaiba was unusually docile, but it was a nice change of pace from his normal egotistical hostility; it was an unexpected side of him that Yami was intrigued by. "Just curious," Yami replied, embarrassing himself by instinctively kissing Kaiba's temple. Realizing what he had done, Yami felt a need to immediately rectify the lapse of judgment. "Sorry, I just—"

Interrupting Yami with a chuckle, Kaiba asked, "After everything we've done, _that's_ what you chose to apologize for?"

It was an odd statement and Yami questioned for clarification, "What else should I have apologized for?"

"Feeling guilty?" Kaiba asked for a second time that night, propping himself up on an elbow to look down at Yami.

"No, just confused," Yami answered, sounding a bit miffed.

"_Just_ confused?" Kaiba murmured before sensuously kissing Yami. "I find that hard to believe. I could think of quite a few other things you might be feeling…"

Although Yami wanted to linger in the moment, the cooling seed on his stomach was starting to bother him. "Feeling like I want to shower?" Yami suggested.

"That, too," Kaiba said, "although you'll have to settle for a bath."

Even though he was puzzled, Yami said nothing as Kaiba helped him out of the bed and led the way to the bathroom. Although it was on the small side, the black marble floors and elegant square tub in the corner were stunning, even if it was a bit incongruous with the bedroom's theme. The extensive lattice work and screens also made an appearance in the bathroom, which was the only real thing that connected the two. "This doesn't quite…match," Yami stated as Kaiba walked over to the bathtub.

"Too modern," Kaiba agreed as he bent over in a deliberate display to turn on the water, "but it beats the hell out of a wooden basin."

"I'll take your word for it," Yami said, the distraction evident in his tone.

Kaiba turned around and smirked at Yami's reaction, waiting for the tub to fill with hot water. There was still some time before it was done, so Kaiba nodded at a door off to the side and passive-aggressively suggested, "Bathroom's through there if you need it."

Once again reminded of the mess that was still on his stomach, Yami blushed and headed over to the closed off toilet room to do exactly that. Wiping himself as clean as he was going to get without water, Yami also took the time to remove the used condom and throw it in the trashcan as well. Taking another moment to compose himself, Yami took a calming breath before rejoining Kaiba in the main part of the bathroom, shocked to find the tub was almost completely full.

Kaiba was the first to step into it after shutting off the water and he held his hand out to Yami to help him maintain his balance on the slick marble. For a moment they just stood there, but Kaiba finally instructed Yami, "Turn around."

Complying with some slight reservations, Yami offered no resistance as Kaiba guided him into a sitting position on his lap. Leaning back against Kaiba's chest, Yami found himself unwinding even further as he felt an arm embrace his waist under water. When he made the softest sound of contentment, Kaiba rewarded Yami with a kiss on the neck, sending a shiver through the teen. Yami closed his eyes as he hesitantly let one of his hands rest on top of Kaiba's arm that was possessively holding him.

It felt entirely too natural and Kaiba had to secretly admit that he liked the way Yami's body fit against his. There was just something comforting about having Yami surrendering completely to him—well, _almost_ completely—and Kaiba decided not to question it for the time being.

Once again, a comfortable silence descended over them and Yami sighed softly as he relaxed further into Kaiba's embrace. It was becoming less awkward for him, but it was still a little strange to be so comfortable around Kaiba. Yami still couldn't stand the fact that Kaiba worked there, that the only way he could see him was in the brothel, but he was coming to the conclusion that it was better than nothing. He couldn't help but wonder how different it would be if they met outside of Kaiba Corporation or even outside of the school. Yami wondered if it would somehow be more personal, more intimate as a result, or just more of the same. Only then did it occur to Yami, "You never say my name."

The seemingly unrelated question pulled Kaiba from his own thought and he had to ask for clarification, "What?"

It was weird to have such a conversation without being able to look at Kaiba directly, but somehow it made it a little easier in a way. "You never say my name here," Yami elaborated, his fingers moving reflexively over Kaiba's wrist under the water because of his anxiety. "Is it against the rules or something?"

"Not explicitly, no," Kaiba answered, surprised by Yami's movement more than the question. "You are an exception."

Although the answer was straightforward, it further confounded Yami. "Why?"

"Because if I say your name, you'll end up saying mine," Kaiba logically explained, although it hadn't necessarily been a conscious decision. There was the slightest feeling of wanting to keep Yami's name separate from the place as much as his own, as if his rival would somehow be tainted by the sordid reality of the brothel or something. It was an illogical reaction, but there was a bizarre need to sanitize certain parts of the experience; it was a troublesome thought that was best discarded.

"Oh," was all Yami could say, unsure of what to do with the information. It made sense, but there was still something deeply unsatisfying about it to Yami.

"You almost sound disappointed," Kaiba commented, feeling the way Yami was starting to tense up in his embrace.

"Maybe I am," Yami softly replied. He didn't quite understand his own reaction, but it was as if using his real name would link them and the experience, confirming to Yami that Kaiba knew he was the one that he was with then.

There was a hint of sadness in Yami's tone and for some reason it bothered Kaiba; of course, the fact that he was bothered by such a trivial matter was also bothersome. "If I use your name now, you're going to think that I'm only doing it because you asked," Kaiba pointed out, using a bit of underhanded logic to get around the request.

"I guess," Yami conceded, wondering why it suddenly seemed like such an important subject.

For the first time that evening, the silence became awkward and Kaiba frowned. It obviously had meaning to Yami and Kaiba finally murmured, "I will if you want me to." Yami made a startled noise and Kaiba couldn't resist tracing the shell of his rival's ear with his tongue. "I am not opposed."

"You think I'm being ridiculous, don't you?" Yami accused him, even as he shivered at the sensation of Kaiba playing with his ear. How was it that something so simple could feel so good?

"Not necessarily," Kaiba denied, lightly capturing Yami's earlobe with his teeth and suckling on it.

Inhaling sharply and tensing in response, Yami was surprised when the embrace was suddenly tightened. "Stop trying to distract me," Yami growled, needing it to stop before he got aroused again.

"Who said anything about distraction?" Kaiba returned with a smug laugh. Running his free hand between Yami's legs, Kaiba slowly trailed his way along the inside of his thighs. "I am merely making a point."

Against his will, Yami's legs spread apart a little to allow the action. The sensuously slow touch felt incredibly good, but Yami wasn't ready to concede his point. "What do you mean?" Yami asked with the slightest hint of a tremor in his voice.

"You'll see," Kaiba promised, moving his hand that had been embracing Yami away. Rather than elaborating verbally, Kaiba allowed his actions to speak for him instead. Slowly running one hand up Yami's chest, Kaiba began to toy with one nipple while his other hand strayed in the direction of his rival's semi-hard member. He was starting to tease Yami's body into reawakening, every touch deliberately placed and never left to linger too long in one place.

Yami didn't understand what Kaiba was trying to do, but he could already tell the outcome. Shifting awkwardly, Yami made a soft sound of distress when Kaiba's hand drifted over his testicles while the other hand tweaked a nipple. His temper flared when Kaiba chuckled, but it did nothing to deter what was happening.

Abandoning Yami's nipple, Kaiba ran his hand up to his rival's neck to tilt his head back for better access. Kissing Yami's neck while stroking it gently with his thumb, Kaiba murmured, "Relax."

"How the hell can I relax when—when you're…damn it!" Yami swore, unable to focus as Kaiba continued his teasing.

Kissing his way down Yami's neck to his shoulder, Kaiba let his other hand glide down the smooth expanse of his rival's chest to join the other one under water. Firmly running his hands along Yami's thighs, Kaiba trailed them in tandem on the way up, parting his legs further. Kaiba was intentionally touching everywhere but where Yami wanted and the plan to work his rival up in such a manner seemed to be a success thus far.

As the torturously pleasant touching continued, Yami leaned back further and rested his head on Kaiba's shoulder, quietly groaning in need. Yami was becoming increasingly frustrated and he could feel Kaiba's erection pressing against him, finding himself aroused even by that. "Fine, you've made your point, so—"

Interrupting Yami, Kaiba said, "No, I haven't." Ignoring Yami's grumbling to get on with it, Kaiba finally ran his fingers over his rival's erection with the faintest of touches that was meant to frustrate him further. The water sloshed when Yami moved into the action in an attempt for more contact. There was something immensely satisfying to Kaiba about completely decimating Yami's composure and he kept his touch light until his rival gave over completely. Only then did Kaiba increase the pressure in reward, finally wrapping his hand around it as if he were pleasuring himself.

One of Yami's hands scrambled for purchase on the side of the slick marble tub and he gasped loudly at the way Kaiba started to work his length; after so much teasing, it was almost a complete shock to his system. Kaiba smirked against the back of Yami's neck before lightly nipping at it, amused by the way it caused the teen to buck into his fist as he continued slowly pleasuring his rival. The longer he drew out the experience, the louder Yami became as he started to thrash more in the water as he tried to do anything to feel more. Nothing he did made Kaiba speed up and finally Yami tried whispering a single word, "Please…"

The darker part of Kaiba wondered what it would be like to have Yami reduced to desperately pleading for more as he thrust into him at a pace meant to completely dominate his rival's passions. It only made Kaiba harder and he moaned softly in approval as he gruffly asked, "What?"

"_Please_," Yami repeated in a distressed tone, even as his hips mindlessly continued moving in tandem with Kaiba's hand.

Running his thumb over Yami's slit as he continued, Kaiba felt the thrilling rush of power in knowing that he had complete control of his rival's desires. Although it was easy to lose sight of his goal, Kaiba persevered as he drew his sole pleasure from watching Yami unravel under his touch. Kaiba quickened his pace, even as he trailed slow kisses from Yami's shoulder up his neck, loving the way the teen instinctively acquiesced. It was a surprise when Yami reached back and wrapped his arm around Kaiba's neck, entangling his fingers in brunette hair as if it was the last thing grounding him from the overwhelming rush of lust. The action didn't entirely displease Kaiba and he softly moaned his approval as he brought Yami closer to his end.

Kaiba could feel Yami's body starting to tense in warning and he smiled privately to himself at what he was about to do. In the lowest, most sensual tone of voice that Kaiba knew few who could resist, he moaned with a hint of need, "_Yami_," right next to his rival's ear. It had the desired effect and Yami came almost instantaneously, his entire body arching with the effort. Kaiba rewarded him with a tender kiss on his neck, feeling more than just a little smug as he released Yami's member for his waist once more.

Panting as Kaiba continued to silently embrace him under the water, Yami groaned softly as he relaxed further against his rival. "So not fair," Yami grumbled, but he sounded entirely too satiated to be upset.

"I believe I've made my point, then," Kaiba smugly stated, laughing at the indignant huff his comment received.

Rolling his eyes at the response, Yami was torn between remaining as they were or returning to the bedroom. He wasn't sure how much time they had left, but he figured it was safe to assume that it would be less than he wanted. Deciding relocation would be the best idea before he started to prune in the water, Yami started trying to move away from Kaiba's grasp to stand.

Although Kaiba's initial reaction was to pull Yami right back to him, he allowed his rival to do as he wished. It gifted Kaiba with a lovely view of that tight little ass he wanted to plunder and he didn't resist his impulse to reach out and fondle Yami's rear. He laughed at the startled yelp and accusing glare that resulted, amused by the flare of indignation in those spirited crimson eyes. "What?" Kaiba asked with mock innocence.

"You know what," Yami muttered with a scowl, blushing as Kaiba also stood up in the tub. Yami's gaze was drawn to the prominent erection that made him experience a fluttering thrill of nervousness.

Noticing where Yami's attention was aimed, Kaiba ran his fingers along it as he challenged, "Planning on doing something about it?"

Unsure of what to do or say, Yami flushed prettily and merely said, "Uhm…"

Knowing better than to pressure Yami into anything, Kaiba dismissed the issue as he got out of the tub first, helping his rival out of it before handing over a thick navy blue towel to dry off with and then using one himself. They returned to the bedroom together and Yami held back a groan when he saw the time and realized he should probably get dressed.

Kaiba took the opportunity to collect himself as he watched Yami gather his clothes from where they had been strewn about the room. Even though he thought it was a pity for Yami to have to get dressed, Kaiba knew better than to object; he merely observed the process and waited for his body to calm itself. As much as he wanted to enjoy himself in Yami's presence, there was no sense in doing so when he knew that another patron would undoubtedly be up shortly.

Once Yami was dressed, only then did he return to Kaiba, looking up at him with a certain shyness that was becoming more and more endearing. It was just too much fun for Kaiba to exploit.

There was always an element of awkwardness for Yami when it came to parting; he never quite knew what to say or how to handle it without sounding completely and utterly ridiculous. "So I'll see you tomorrow?" Yami asked, annoyed with himself for sounding hopeful.

"As always," Kaiba replied, kissing Yami slowly and deeply. It left Yami utterly flustered and he struggled against the feeling that was rising up inside of him in response. There was no time to think about it because of the polite knock that interrupted them, causing them to book look at the door. "Until then."

"Yeah," Yami agreed before quickly departing without much delay.

Ishi was waiting for him on the other side of the door with a beautiful smile and he couldn't help but return it as they walked to the elevator. Doing his cursory check of his personal belongings as the doors closed, Yami realized that he had left his cell phone upstairs in the room and cursed quietly to himself.

"Is something the matter, sir?" Ishi asked, making him blush in embarrassment.

"I think I forgot my phone in the room," Yami mumbled, looking down at the marble elevator floor. "Would it be a problem for me to go grab it real quick?"

Hiding a hint of a smile at Yami's choice of phrase, Ishi pushed a button to reverse the direction of the elevator so he could do as he wished. "Not at all," Ishi conceded, smiling at him reassuringly.

When the doors pinged open, Yami was startled by the sound of a phone ringing and he realized it was the one in the elevator. Looking at Ishi questioningly, she waved him away and said, "I'll wait for you here," before answering the phone.

Shrugging in response, Yami knocked on the door before entering, once again immediately embraced by the enchanting incense as closed the door behind him out of habit. Kaiba was standing in the middle of the room with Yami's cell phone, waving it by the antenna as he taunted, "Forget something?"

Figuring that it must have fallen out of his back pocket when the pants were flung aside during their earlier session, Yami was more relieved that it had been found. "Yeah," Yami answered, approaching Kaiba to reclaim it.

"Looks like the mutt was trying to find his master," Kaiba smugly informed Yami, the caller ID showing four missed calls from Jounouchi.

Wondering what could have been so important to merit that many calls, Yami felt a slight twinge of guilt over not answering sooner. Rather than addressing that, Yami growled, "I am not his master and quit calling him that!"

Laughing at Yami's exasperation, Kaiba pointedly ignored the outstretched hand that was silently demanding the return of the item. When Yami tried to simply take it, Kaiba moved it just out of reach, earning him a crimson glare. "Real mature," Yami muttered as he scowled.

"All you have to do is take it," Kaiba teased, holding it high enough that Yami had to press closer in an attempt to take it. Kaiba wrapped his free arm around Yami's waist in the process and held him close, all while keeping the phone further out of reach. "Come on," Yami growled, still futilely trying to make a grab for it, "knock it off!"

"As you wish," Kaiba murmured in the same beautiful low tone that had made Yami come only a few minutes before. It caused Yami to shiver and he didn't resist in his annoyance Kaiba's playful kiss, giving it back as good as he got. Kaiba took the opportunity to return the phone to Yami's back pocket, copping a feel in the process. Just before he pulled his hand free, Kaiba impishly flipped the small switch from silent mode to vibrate, causing Yami to startle at the sensation with a noise of surprise.

Yami was the picture of desire as he looked up at Kaiba with confusion and he couldn't help but wish that they had more time. "Now there's an idea," Kaiba realized, his blue eyes alight with perverse pleasure that instantly had Yami on full alert.

Before Yami could ask what Kaiba was talking about, there was another knock on the door. Feeling guilty that Ishi yet again had to come get him, Yami hurriedly said goodbye to Kaiba again before opening the door with an apology, "Sorry to keep you—"

The sentiment died before Yami could finish expressing it as he realized that it wasn't Ishi standing on the other side, but Jounouchi. Yami's eyes went as wide as they could and his breath caught in his throat as he realized that he had completely and utterly been caught, exposing Kaiba in the process. His worst fear was realized when Jounouchi venomously said, "I fucking _knew_ it."

* * *

**A/N:** Been awhile since I've left off with a cliffhanger, but this one was already long enough as is.

This is actually one of my favorites I've ever done, so it's almost a shame for Jounouchi to pop up and crash the fun. But it makes it all the more bittersweet, so hopefully everyone doesn't hate me for what's about to happen~. All I ask is that you have faith in me and in Kaiba, ne?

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Balking initially as he gave Jounouchi a hateful glare, Yami finally complied, but not before trying a final plea with his friend, "I'm asking you as a friend not to do this, Jounouchi."_

"_Will you agree to stop seeing him?" Jounouchi countered, doubting that Yami would agree. _

Because it always gets worse before it gets better…

It'll be another long chapter, so check back on **December 20th** for the next part! I should be done with finals by then since I have to write several essays this week, but I wanted to make sure everyone still got this week's update despite my crazy schedule! Your reviews keep me going during this crazy time, so thank you for cheering me up as I write endless essays for school.


	15. Chapter 15: Dread

**Chapter 15: Dread**

Yami's first instinct was to try and shut the door on his friend, but Jounouchi stopped him from succeeding. Still blocking the doorway despite his failure to shut Jounouchi out, Yami realized that there was a woman in a pastel yellow wig that he had never seen before. "Where's Ishi?" Yami demanded of the startled girl, shocked by the anger in his own voice.

"Ane-ue was called away," the woman answered, looking completely confused. "Sir, you're not supposed to still be here."

"He isn't supposed to be here at all," Yami growled, glancing at Jounouchi out of the corner of his eyes, feeling a way of nervousness wash over him when he realized that his friend was staring hatefully at Kaiba.

Before things could escalate, the elevator doors pinged open once more and Ishi stepped out, a rare expression of irritation on her otherwise normally composed face. "What is going on here?" she loudly demanded, infuriated by what she saw. She had been called downstairs to handle a troublesome guest at the counter only to find that he had already been led upstairs; Ishi knew that the teen had previously failed the required credit check and it was well established that Dragon was her sole responsibility, so she couldn't understand how things had transpired to such a point.

"I paid and he won't leave," Jounouchi explained with a nod in Yami's direction as he looked over at the sea foam green girl that he had seen every time he had visited with his friend.

"Sir, I'm sorry to say that there's been a mix up. As was explained to you downstairs, you cannot—" Ishi started to explain before the yellow haired girl dared to interrupt.

"Ane-ue, there seems to be a misunderstanding," the girl timidly tried to placate her senpai.

Nodding in agreement, Ishi's voice was still hard with disapproval as she elaborated, "The misunderstanding is that you are not supposed to be up here with him. You will escort this guest back downstairs and I will deal with this one accordingly, understood?"

Shaking her head with a worried look, the girl felt torn in her loyalties. "My orders are from Master-sama," she explained, knowing that the owner's orders took precedence over anything from Ishi. "He said that it was okay to make this exception."

The information was a slap in the face to both Ishi and Kaiba; they shared a look through the open door and she felt her heart drop at his stifled look of indignant anger that he was struggling to control. She knew that there was no way that either one of them could defy Gozaburo, but the look of desperation on Yami's face made her want to do anything within her power to prevent this from occurring. Figuring that she needed to buy some time, Ishi ordered, "Regardless, you will escort this guest elsewhere until Dragon-sama has had proper time to—"

The girl immediately interjected, "Master-sama said that was an unnecessary waste of time."

"That does not mean he strictly prohibited it," Ishi countered. No sooner had the words left her mouth than she heard the elevator phone ring again and her one shred of hope was ripped away because she knew that there was only one person who would be on the other end of the line—the man responsible for the mess. "He is not to enter until I return, understood?"

There were no specific orders from Gozaburo to counter that reason for delay, so the girl meekly agreed, "Yes, ane-ue."

As soon as Ishi left, the fight between the teens resumed with more heat than before. "Why are you protecting him?" Jounouchi snarled, glaring accusingly at Yami.

"Why are you here at all?" Yami countered, his knuckles completely white from the angry way he was clinching the door. He couldn't see Kaiba's reaction and that troubled him greatly; Yami could only guess as to what thoughts were going through his mind. Yami had a sudden fear that Kaiba would think he had set the whole thing up, the phone calls from earlier only lending evidence to fuels such suspicions. He couldn't help but think that something like this could shatter the tentative trust that had been building between them and Yami tried not to let it upset him too much; he could explain himself if only he could get Kaiba to listen later.

"Because you wouldn't stop seeing him," Jounouchi cruelly replied, narrowing his eyes over his anger at Yami's betrayal.

"Like I need your fucking permission?" Yami snapped, losing a grip on his emotions in his fear. Everything in him was screaming that he needed to put a stop to things, but he had no idea how he was going to be able to do that successfully. "I can do whatever the hell I want, Jounouchi!"

"And whoever the hell you want, apparently," Jounouchi insulted with a sneer.

It both hurt and further enraged Yami all at once. "It's none of your damn business anyway!" Yami exclaimed, his voice rising with his heightened emotions.

"You're my friend," Jounouchi said, as if that somehow explained everything sufficiently.

"So that instantly makes it your business?" Yami scoffed. "Besides, if you were my friend, you would leave it well enough alone!"

"It's too late for that," Jounouchi stated in a serious tone, sending a chill through Yami despite his convictions.

Yami knew that he needed to clamp down on his emotions if he wanted to win the battle, so he took a calming breath before warning in a threatening tone, "You need to leave."

"Or else?" Jounouchi challenged, honestly surprised by the viciousness of Yami's demeanor.

"I will never forgive you," Yami swore, the immediate weight of his words heavy even on Jounouchi.

"I'm not the one that needs forgiven," Jounouchi argued, refusing to concede his point.

"What, and I am?" Yami incredulously demanded. He received a pointed look for his efforts and Yami scoffed indignantly. "You cannot possibly be serious!"

The lack of understanding pissed off Jounouchi even more. "You fucking betrayed all of us, Yami!" Jounouchi shouted, finally lashing out with some of his anger.

"I did not!" Yami heatedly denied, grateful that he had the comfort of Yuugi's support to fall back on in the moment. "You're the only one with a fucking problem. Hell, _Honda_ doesn't even have a problem with it and neither do Yuugi or Anzu! Just because you're pissed off about whatever, it doesn't give you a reason to take it out on him!"

"Oh, I'll take it out on him, alright," Jounouchi retorted in a cruelly perverse tone of voice that made Yami shudder in disgust.

"I won't let you!" Yami defensively protested, thinking of anything he could do to prevent the inevitable from happening.

Although the girl was at a complete loss as to what was going on, she felt that it was her duty to inform Yami, "Sir, as he has already paid, you cannot extend your time with Dragon-sama. However, if you would like to wait—"

Giving the girl the most withering of stares, some darker part of him was pleased when she shrank back from him slightly and stopped speaking mid-sentence. Satisfied by her silence, Yami returned his gaze to Jounouchi as his mind raced to figure out any solution to what was undoubtedly going to turn into a disastrous situation. "Why are you doing this?" Yami asked in a restrained tone, knowing that he had to get in better control of his emotions.

"To show you what a worthless whore he is," Jounouchi cruelly replied, and for half a second, he thought Yami was actually going to hit him for the comment.

Yami's rage was practically palpable and if it weren't for the fact that lunging at Jounouchi would leave the door open to invasion, he probably would have followed through with his impulse to pummel some sense into his friend. "Don't you _ever_ call him that again," Yami warned in a lethally dangerous tone that sent a shiver of fear through Jounouchi at the deadly serious expression on the shorter teen's face.

Ever the unwise one, Jounouchi sneered, "I suppose he makes enough money here that he's not worthless to them."

"I will make you regret this," Yami threatened, too worked up to be shocked by the level of angry hatred at his friend. "Every single word, every single—"

"What are you getting so pissed for?" Jounouchi taunted, not taking Yami's threat seriously; he was pretty sure he could take the shorter teen in a fight if it came down to it. "He gets fucked for money, which makes him a whore."

There was no argument that Yami could make against the last point and he hated that he couldn't argue his way out on a technicality. "I can't believe you," Yami said with disgust, looking at Jounouchi as if just seeing him for what he truly was for the first time.

For the first time since the whole incident started, Kaiba spoke up, "Is it really such a surprise to you to discover that the mutt is a fucking idiot?" It had taken him that long to control himself, to construct his plan of attack, all while being mindful of the cameras. Since the moment the other attendant had said it was an order from Gozaburo, Kaiba had known that it was a test from his adopted father. Whether he was testing Yami's loyalty or punishing his adopted son for their interactions, Kaiba knew that he had to tread very carefully or face the harshest of consequences. "He's too stupid to understand that—"

"Yo, don't fucking talk about me like I'm not here!" Jounouchi yelled, his attention immediately refocused on his most hated person. "Besides, I paid for you, so you don't get to disrespect me like that, asshole!"

"Your time hasn't started yet," Kaiba pointed out with evident disdain. "And might I remind you that you're on _my_ turf here?"

There was something ominous about the statement and it planted the first seed of doubt in Jounouchi's mind; he hadn't even considered that. "What's that supposed to mean?" Jounouchi demanded, arrogantly crossing his arms as he glared defiantly at Kaiba.

Confidently sauntering over, Kaiba stood behind Yami with a smug smirk that further incensed Jounouchi. He could feel Yami trembling with rage and although something inside of him wanted to comfort his upset rival, Kaiba would rather take out his rage on Jounouchi for causing the situation in the first place. "You play by _my_ rules here, mutt," Kaiba informed him before moving Yami's hand off of the door and slamming it in Jounouchi's face with great satisfaction.

Yami immediately turned around to face Kaiba and was slammed back against the door with enough forced to make the door rattle in the frame. Mistaking the action for anger, Yami missed Kaiba's true intention—to further enrage Jounouchi. The more emotional Jounouchi became, the easier it would be to play upon his distraction; Kaiba would be damned if he let the mutt get the best of him.

Even though Yami was irritated by the action, he understood it and started to explain in a hushed tone, "I promise I didn't have anything to do with—"

Silencing Yami with a brutal kiss, Kaiba took great satisfaction in the noise his action earned him. It was a harsh and punishing kiss, giving Yami an outlet for his aggressions that he gladly accepted with a little growl of his own. Jounouchi's shouts were forgotten about as he banged ferociously on the door and demanded entrance and even after they breathlessly parted, neither one acknowledged his fury.

They looked at each other for a long moment, but Yami couldn't discern the hidden meaning in those brilliant blue eyes. There were so many things that Yami felt like he should say, but everything was a jumbled mess and he could only softly apologize, "I'm sorry, I—"

Leaning forward and placing his lips on Yami's neck, Kaiba kissed the fluttering pulse point as he murmured, "I know," against the sensitive skin. Even if Yami had plotted with Jounouchi—something that Kaiba highly doubted—there was no way that the mutt could have gotten past security without the permission of Gozaburo. There was a reason Gozaburo had let the disruptive teen up, but Kaiba refused to let himself be played in such a manner; there was more than one way to win that kind of fight and he was determined to have his victory.

The small reassurance was a huge relief for Yami, but he knew that it didn't solve the larger problem at hand. He couldn't think of anything to say or do, but Kaiba continued, "I can take care of myself."

"That's not what I'm worried about," Yami confessed in the faintest of whispers, almost completely drowned out by Jounouchi's shouts on the other side. He couldn't bear the thought of what Jounouchi would do to Kaiba once they were alone and Yami knew there was very little that could be done to stop it. The unwanted image of Jounouchi cruelly dominating in a sexual situation enraged Yami and he hid his face against Kaiba's shoulder. It was too close to becoming a reality and Yami couldn't stand it, his anger flaring once again as he tried to banish the thoughts.

Kaiba didn't know whether to be touched or annoyed by Yami's concern, but he accepted it all the same. Dropping his voice low enough to avoid being heard by anyone else but Yami, Kaiba still managed to sound arrogant as he argued, "You act as if that loser dog has any chance at ever defeating me."

It was such a typical response that Yami couldn't help but laugh despite the gravity of the situation. The amusement lasted but the briefest of moments before Yami sobered once more and asked, "What can you do to not…you _know…_? I mean, there has to be _something_ that can be done, right?"

"I have my ways," Kaiba replied with a perverse undertone that managed to still affect Yami on the basest of levels.

There was so much to say and yet nothing at all, so Yami could only whisper, "I never wanted this." He didn't want to think about Jounouchi touching Kaiba, kissing him, or being with him intimately. It was one thing to think about faceless strangers, but a known person was completely different—_especially_ when that person was Jounouchi.

"Regardless, it's happening," Kaiba coldly stated, bothered by the open look of distress that Yami wasn't even trying to disguise.

Resting his forehead against Kaiba's chest, Yami sighed heavily as he asked, "What can I do?"

"Go home," Kaiba replied, resting his chin on Yami's head against his better judgment. He could feel Yami still trembling and Kaiba wanted his rival to leave before things got worse.

There was a distinct disconnect between the safe feeling of being in Kaiba's embrace and the chaotic anger of Jounouchi on the other side of the door. "Damn it," Yami muttered in defeat, burrowing closer still to Kaiba. "There has to be something!"

Kaiba wanted to tell Yami to quit caring so much, but it would be verbal confirmation for Gozaburo. He knew that his every move was being monitored; Kaiba had all but condemned himself to a week without Mokuba—if not two—so he refused to debase himself with Jounouchi when he had already lost the only motivation he had to "behave," as Gozaburo so often complained.

"Go home," Kaiba repeated, his tone kinder than he had intended.

All Yami could hear was the sadness in Kaiba's voice and it made his heart ache in response. Before he could respond, the furious banging on the door stopped and was followed by a single sharp knock. It made Kaiba take several steps back and he nodded the okay for Yami to open the door. Yami looked back at Kaiba for a final time, his emotional turmoil clearly on display before facing forward and opening the door with a blank look.

Although Ishi was the perfect picture of professionalism, Yami could see the tightness in her jaw. It upset Yami on a whole new level to know that Jounouchi was also affecting the kind woman and Yami clenched the doorknob tightly as he tried to calm himself once more.

The silence was broken by the yellow wigged girl when she suggested, "Although there is a surcharge, perhaps a threesome would be an acceptable compromise for—"

All three males vehemently objected, "No," at once, all appalled for varying reasons.

Looking rather put out over the rejection, the girl remained silent as Ishi softly addressed Yami, "I'm sorry, sir, but I'm going to have to ask you to follow me."

Balking initially as he gave Jounouchi a hateful glare, Yami finally complied, but not before trying a final plea with his friend, "I'm asking you as a friend not to do this, Jounouchi."

"Will you agree to stop seeing him?" Jounouchi countered, doubting that Yami would agree. When he received only a resentful silence, Jounouchi shrugged as he looked at Yami with mild disdain. "Maybe now you'll give this bastard up when you start to see him for the whore that he is."

When Yami started to lunge at his friend, he was stopped by Ishi's hand on his shoulder. Although it prevented his physical assault, Yami spat, "I will _never_ forgive you for this!"

"Whatever, you'll thank me later," Jounouchi dismissively predicted, knowing that he was acting for his friend's good.

Yami was about to launch into another verbal tirade, but the pressure of Ishi's grip increased and grounded him. He wanted to have the last word, but nothing would come to mind; he was past the point of logic. Growling a final threatening warning, Yami allowed Ishi to lead him to the elevator. The last thing he saw before the doors closed was Jounouchi entering Kaiba's room and Yami's rage boiled over to the point where he swore out loud and pounded his fist against the elevator door.

Ishi was finding it hard to calm Yami down, mostly because she herself was furious at what had just occurred. She was still bristling over the phone call from Gozaburo and Ishi knew that something else was going on between the three teens. Gozaburo's veiled threat, "Remember, girl: you work for _me_," still weighing heavily on Ishi and she wondered how far she could push the boundaries without repercussions.

The doors opened in another corridor rather than the lobby, but Yami didn't comment about the detour as he dutifully followed Ishi down the hall into another room. Gesturing for Yami to take a seat on the sofa, Ishi brought him a glass of water that he reflexively accepted. "Can't you do something to stop this?" Yami asked Ishi, feeling like she was his last hope.

Those expressive crimson eyes were silently pleading with her in despair and it pained Ishi to answer, "No, sir."

Setting the water down on the table, Yami hid his face in his hands while resting his elbows on his knees. "This can't be happening," Yami groaned, feeling almost nauseous over the whole thing. It was a small comfort to know that Kaiba didn't think he had put Jounouchi up to it, but Yami still felt disgusted by his so-called friend's behavior.

Although Ishi wanted to comfort Yami and find out more about what was going on in the hopes that it would help Kaiba, she knew that there was only so much that she could do without arousing suspicions. Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud knock on the door and Ishi's heart dropped when she realized that there was only one person who would be on the other side. Forcing herself to move, Ishi walked over to the door and opened it with a formal bow to grant the man entrance.

Yami took immediate notice of the man that entered and he instinctively straightened up in response. He was a tall, solid man with graying hair and moustache, whose confident and calculating gaze implied strength and power. There was something about the man that made Yami feel wary and Ishi's reaction wasn't helping soothe his fears; she hadn't looked up once.

When Yami stood up to greet the man, his actions caused the older gentleman to start chuckling as he gave the teen an appraising gaze. "Respectful. I like that," the man commented in a voice full of gravelly perversion that sent a shudder of disgust and fear through Yami at the way he was being looked at by the stranger. "One good trait amongst many, I'm sure."

It was a weird comment and Yami didn't know how to interpret it. He wanted to look at Ishi for guidance, but he didn't dare take his eyes off of the man; something in Yami was screaming caution and he knew better than to disobey his instincts. "I'm not sure that I understand," Yami hesitantly said, carefully watching the man the entire time, not daring to take his eyes off of him for a moment.

The older man approached Yami with an arrogance that was startling familiar, giving Yami his first real clue as to the true identity of the person standing before him. "I am pleased to see that earlier rudeness was only a temporary lapse in behavior," the man admitted, but there was no pleasure in his cruel eyes; only ruthless cunning and steely calculations. He had the teen cornered and he would have his answers one way or the other. "It seems that boy has a knack for bringing out the worst in people."

"Boy?" Yami repeated, wondering who the man was referring to and how he knew anything about what had just occurred upstairs in the hallway.

Rather than answering Yami's question, the man held out his hand to the teen in a formal greeting as he introduced himself, "How rude of me to forget. I am Gozaburo, the owner of this facility."

Shaking the hand of the man that Yami considered the source of Kaiba's imprisonment, he felt incredibly dirty in that moment. Instead of lying about the pleasures and honor of meeting the man, Yami chose a more tactful response of, "I apologize for the incident upstairs."

Letting his fingers trail along the back of Yami's hand as he released the teen from the handshake, Gozaburo gestured for him to sit back down on the sofa. Yami complied, even as he felt mildly disgusted by the questionable contact. Gozaburo sat down in the chair across from Yami, mindful that there was still a witness who would relate what she could to his most prized possession—in fact he was counting on her to go running to Kaiba to inform him the first chance she got. "It seems that you know something I do not," Gozaburo started as he laced his fingers together and rested his elbows on the armrest, planning to use the opportunity to find out everything he could about his wayward adopted son's recent activities.

Suddenly it felt like an interrogation and Yami wished that he knew more about the man from Kaiba; anything to help him against this fierce opponent who made him feel incredibly uncomfortable. "In regards to…?" Yami questioned, trying to force the man into specific questions; he didn't want to accidentally incriminate Kaiba and get him into trouble somehow.

"You appear to have some concerns about the blonde one and my boy," Gozaburo replied, noticing the way that Yami's fingers involuntarily twitched at the possessive phrase. "I came to find out what your specific objections were."

"Isn't it a little late for that now?" Yami asked, sounding bitterer than he meant to because he couldn't stop thinking about what was happening upstairs between the two behind the closed door.

The undercurrent of emotion was one that Gozaburo knew how to manipulate well and he started trying to play up on the teen's fears. "As I said, it seems that you know something I do not about the situation between those two," Gozaburo restated, subtly laying his trap. "If you have a legitimate cause for concern, I would appreciate you telling me so that I may intercede and stop them."

Biting his lower lip, Yami had a fierce war waging inside of him. As much as he wanted to tell the man anything and everything to get him to stop Jounouchi from being with Kaiba, it felt like a ploy; it was obvious to Yami that Gozaburo was looking for information and he worried what the man would do with it. Deciding to start with the obvious, Yami simply stated, "They hate each other."

"Why?"

It was a deceptively simple question and Yami realized that he didn't actually have an answer for the man. It felt like a failure to admit, "I don't know," but he did it anyway.

"Are you worried that the blonde will get violent with my boy?" Gozaburo asked, having seen enough aggression from Jounouchi to recognize the signs of someone who was quick to fly off the handle.

"I'd like to think that he was smarter than that," Yami muttered, although his faith was waning in his friend. "He tends to act before he thinks and is quick to anger."

Laughing darkly at the description, Gozaburo settled back into the chair and crossed his leg over his knee. "Do you know the great thing about dragons?" Gozaburo randomly asked, carefully watching Yami.

It was such a shift in the conversation that Yami didn't follow. "No," Yami answered, the uncertainty clear in his voice.

"Their claws are sharp, but their minds are sharper," Gozaburo cryptically replied, "and my Dragon is the sharpest of them all. Understood?"

Yami's eyebrows furrowed as he processed the statement. He couldn't stand the fact that this man referred to Kaiba by, "my Dragon," and, "my boy," all in the same conversation, but Yami knew that wasn't the point. "You are saying that he can fend for himself?" Yami guessed, feeling rather foolish for having to do so.

"Indeed I am," Gozaburo stated with a sly grin. "My boy is well trained in _many _arts."

It was a dirtily perverse statement that implied so much more than basic training and Yami had to suppress a shudder of disgust. He didn't like the look in Gozaburo's eyes, much less the fact that they were trained on him at the moment. Sensing Yami's discomfort, Gozaburo smugly continued, "As you well know by now."

That finally succeeded in making the teen look down in shame, unable to stand that almost sadistic look of pleasure; Gozaburo was an obvious predator and Yami hated feeling like the prey. Gozaburo reveled in the misery exuding from Yami a moment before calling out to Ishi, "Girl, your presence is no longer required here."

Yami's eyes snapped up to find the woman bowing low in acquiescence of the command. He had nearly forgotten that she was present, but Yami feared what her absence would bring. "Are there any further orders, sir?" Ishi asked, hoping against all hopes that Gozaburo would give her permission to stop whatever was happening upstairs; between Yami's fear and her boss' glee over the potential disaster, she was beyond worried for Kaiba.

"No," Gozaburo answered, watching out of the corner of his eye as Yami visibly wilted before him, "the boy can take care of himself. He wouldn't be worth his status if he couldn't hold his own against a loser dog of such a low caliber, after all."

"Yes, sir," Ishi flatly replied, knowing better than to look at Yami for a final time to assess how he was doing. She quickly vacated the room and said a silent prayer for Yami to be okay, even as she was hoping the same was true for Kaiba as well.

Only after the door closed leaving the two of them alone did Gozaburo arrogantly comment, "After all, I trained him to be the best. I will accept nothing less."

There was nothing that Yami could say to that, so he remained silent and forced himself to look up at Gozaburo once more, trying not to think about what that "training" involved. "You have no intention of stopping them," Yami stated, feeling a ripple of rage wash over him even as he tried to restrain his reactions in front of the dangerous man.

"Why would I?" Gozaburo asked with a shrug. "You provided insufficient evidence for me to put a stop to something I explicitly authorized."

A noise of indignant protest escaped Yami before he could clamp down on it and the flash of ire in his scarlet eyes betrayed him more than words ever could. Gozaburo felt the thrilling rush of aggression that accompanied that fierce look and he could easily see how his adopted son had gotten captivated by the fiery teen. The boy was a bright spirit that Gozaburo not only wanted to dominate, but wanted to break in the process; few things gave him greater pleasure than the fight of resistance that ensued. "Consider this your warning," Gozaburo coldly informed the teen, discovering that he liked the look of uncertain fear on Yami almost as much as defiance.

"Warning?" Yami repeated, fearing that he was teetering on the verge of being banned from the brothel. As much as he hated that Kaiba worked at this place for that man, Yami would hate not being able to come and see for himself that his rival was okay in such a hellish condition.

"I control all," Gozaburo informed Yami as he stood up and clasped his hands behind his back to walk closer. "This is my domain and that boy you unwisely have feelings for is _my_ property."

The fact that Gozaburo referred to Kaiba as personal property just further incensed Yami and he struggled against losing control of his emotions; now was not the time to crack. "I don't know what you're talking about," Yami defiantly growled, trying not to panic.

"You deny that you harbor feelings for my boy?" Gozaburo sneered as he looked down at Yami. "Forgive me for not believing you."

"With all due respect, sir, you are taking it out of context," Yami tried to defend himself through gritted teeth.

"Am I?" Gozaburo questioned in disbelief before smiling darkly as he stood directly in front of Yami. "Then enlighten me, boy."

Opening his mouth for a quick retort, nothing would come out that was appropriate. It touched upon an issue that Yami didn't fully understand himself and he hedged for a moment. The silence caused Gozaburo to seize upon the opportunity to goad, "You don't even know, do you?"

"Sir—"

Gozaburo interrupted Yami to challenge, "Shall I give you the chance to prove me wrong?"

The pace of the conversation was starting to trip Yami up and he flatly asked, "And how would you propose I do that?"

"I will let you have an hour with any other employee here, free of charge," Gozaburo offered, confident that the teen would turn him down despite his generosity.

"What would that prove?" Yami irritably asked, trying to buy time.

"That you are still at the point where you think Dragon is the only one who can satisfy you," Gozaburo replied, before his expression darkened momentarily. It sent a shiver of fear through Yami and he dared not think on the unspoken promise of harm behind that look. "Although I wonder how true that is…"

Yami was getting more and more confused by Gozaburo's roundabout logic and he demanded, "What are you implying?"

Reaching out and grasping Yami's chin, Gozaburo leaned down to look the teen eye to eye. "I'm implying that you are more infatuated with Seto than with Dragon," Gozaburo told Yami, the chill of disapproval hitting the teen hard.

"No, sir," Yami denied, desperately wanting to pull free of the man's grip; it made his skin crawl to be touched by those hands.

"Why don't I believe you?" Gozaburo murmured, his eyes narrowing in disapproval.

"It's not like that!" Yami vehemently protested, needing the man to believe what he wasn't even sure he himself believed. It was that desperation that led him to further his argument. "Besides, what difference do my feelings make when he obviously doesn't care about anything but the money?" It was a statement that made Yami feel filthy, especially since it was a doubt that he had harbored since this whole thing began; he felt terrible for the implication.

Although Gozaburo had doubted Yami's sincerity, it was clear to him that the teen had a realistic grasp on the situation. A plan was formulating in his mind rapidly; after all, it was in his nature to take advantage of others weaknesses. It was easier to extort something from a person when he possessed something they wanted more than anything else; just as Gozaburo lorded Mokuba's freedom over Kaiba to keep him employed, perhaps he could use his adopted son against Yami. The boy's exotic beauty would make him a popular choice in the brothel and the closer he could keep Yami, the easier it would be to break the teen's fiery spirit. Besides, there was the added benefit that it might be an additional method of controlling Kaiba and Gozaburo would make far more off of Yami as an employee than as a client.

Gozaburo's hand drifted from Yami's chin down to the soft expanse of his neck in a deadly caress as he murmured, "Of course, there is another alternative solution here."

Everything inside of Yami was screaming for him to pull away, to get away from the sadistic man in front of him, but he was frozen in his fear. "A-another solution?" Yami stuttered, hating how meek it made him sound.

"Since you seem to be so concerned about my boy and his role here at the brothel, come work for me at Kaiba Corporation," Gozaburo offered, already imagining the things he could make Yami do under his employment.

Out of everything that Yami had been expecting to hear, a job offer had not been one of them. "_What_?" Yami exclaimed, unable to control his reaction.

"You would do _very_ well here," Gozaburo continued, as if Yami had never spoken. However, the hand that had been caressing Yami stilled and for a split second, the teen wondered if he was about to be strangled by Gozaburo. "I would even be willing to train you myself. Only the most elite of my employees are offered such an honor."

Yami thought he was actually going to throw up at what such a statement implied about Kaiba's past and the teen was on his feet before he even realized it. His scarlet eyes burned bright with a volatile hatred as he trembled, trying not to do something foolish in his rage. It didn't help that Gozaburo looked more amused than miffed by his reaction and Yami clenched his hands into tight fists as he struggled against all the negative emotions that were threatening to engulf him. "You will forgive me if I decline such an offer," Yami tersely replied, finding it within himself to retain a façade of respectful decorum despite his disgust.

"Of course," Gozaburo said, somewhat impressed with Yami's restraint given the situation. It was also a little disappointing for Gozaburo since he was intentionally trying to provoke a reaction from Yami, but it spoke volumes to him about the teen.

Yami needed to get away from the man before he did or said something foolish that would get him permanently banned, so he coldly stated, "I believe that we are done here."

"So long as you understand that there will not be another warning," Gozaburo smoothly replied, his eyes narrowing as he resumed a serious demeanor once more.

"Or else?" Yami questioned with a sickening feeling of dread, easily able to discern the very real threat amongst the words.

"There is no, 'Or else,' as you say," Gozaburo informed Yami, looking at him with a cruel sadism. "You only have one choice: obey."

"Obey or never come back?" Yami guessed, although he doubted it was as simple as that.

Closing the distance between himself and the teen, Gozaburo nodded as he commented, "At least you're smart enough to figure out that much."

Figuring that everything that needed to be said had been said, Yami started to turn and walk away, only to be stopped and pulled back by a strong hand grabbing his wrist. Yami collide with Gozaburo's broad chest and was prevented from pulling away by the strong arm that encircled his waist and fear started to shift to pure panic. "Just remember, boy: I will not tolerate this," Gozaburo murmured low in the teen's ear as he slid his hand under Yami's shirt to brush his fingers over the hickey Kaiba had left earlier. Yami shuddered in disgust and had to bite down on a verbal reaction when Gozaburo's touch went from teasing to painful, refusing to cry out as the older man's fingers pressed hard on the mark and was followed up by the raking of sharp fingernails over it. "If I find out that anything like this happened outside of these walls again, my boy will pay in painful ways that you can't even comprehend. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," Yami quickly agreed, his heart hammering as he clamped down on his instinct to flee.

"Good boy," Gozaburo patronizingly sneered, stroking the mark for a final time before releasing Yami. He had to admire the teen's impeccable self-control; it just made it all the more exciting for Gozaburo to try and break his will.

Yami stayed silent as Gozaburo left the room with a sinister laugh, remaining standing in the center of the room long after the door closed and he was alone.

* * *

**A/N:** From bad to worse to what's still to come…

Any time Gozaburo shows up, I have to question my own depravity, I swear…

I know a lot of you are really nervous about the next chapter, but I only ask that you have some faith in me and in Kaiba.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_You don't even have enough shame to be embarrassed?" Jounouchi sneered._

"_What do I have to be ashamed of?" Kaiba questioned with a shrug. "Other than being forced to endure your presence for an hour, of course."_

Next chapter goes up on **Sunday, December 27th**, although it might be a little bit later in the evening since I'll have family over for Christmas. Best wishes to you all and happy holidays!


	16. Chapter 16: Confrontation

**Chapter 16: Confrontation**

When the door closed behind him, Jounouchi looked at Kaiba with a predatory glee of someone finally getting their revenge. He was momentarily distracted by the cloying smell in the room, but Jounouchi didn't allow it to distract him from what was happening. It angered him that Kaiba seemed decidedly nonplussed about the whole thing, but Jounouchi wasn't going to let that stop him from doing what he had come to do. Stalking over to Kaiba, Jounouchi pulled the towel off of his enemy; he had hoped for a shameful response, an attempt to cover himself, but all he received was an arrogant smirk. "You don't even have enough shame to be embarrassed?" Jounouchi sneered.

"What do I have to be ashamed of?" Kaiba questioned with a shrug. "Other than being forced to endure your presence for an hour, of course."

Although it was a typical response, it still irked Jounouchi; when he was paying for Kaiba, he would damn well get the respect that was so often denied to him. Acting out on his anger, Jounouchi twisted the towel and snapped it to try and hit his mouthy rival. Kaiba was faster and he caught the towel around his wrist before it hit him, grabbing hold of it and using the force to pull Jounouchi to him. Even though he was completely revolted by the contact, Kaiba smugly said, "I wouldn't recommend trying that again," before tightening his grip when Jounouchi tried to pull away. "After all, that's not why you came here tonight…"

Shoving himself away from Kaiba and releasing the towel, Jounouchi growled in irritation. "I came here to make you stay the hell away from Yami!" Jounouchi snapped, belated regretting that he had removed the towel from Kaiba. It was too tempting to assess his enemy's size, but Jounouchi's pride wouldn't let him look.

"Why?" Kaiba asked as he threw the towel aside, wondering if he would actually get a serious answer—not that he actually cared about it, but still. "And did you really think this was the best way to do it?"

"Shut up!" Jounouchi growled as he glared at Kaiba. Even when he was obligated by money, Kaiba still wasn't going to make it easy for Jounouchi to get anywhere on the subject.

"I can't answer you if I'm required to shut up," Kaiba pointed out, wondering how far he could rile the teen up before he snapped.

Grumbling under his breath about what an arrogant asshole Kaiba was, Jounouchi tried a different tactic. "Stop being so difficult," Jounouchi ordered, clenching his fists tightly in his rage.

"The only one being difficult is you," Kaiba countered, just to irritate Jounouchi. He was still operating on the principle of riling Jounouchi past the point of reason; it made it all the easier to manipulate the mutt that way. "Doing such unnecessary things."

"I don't want to hear that from a _whore_," Jounouchi hissed, wishing that there was something that he could say or do to make Kaiba break. He hadn't really planned his visit out in advance; he had called Yami several times to invite him to the brothel since Jounouchi knew that Yuugi and Anzu were out on a date. When reaching Yami proved to be impossible, Jounouchi decided to go by himself, but when he was at the front desk, the thought crossed his mind that his friend might be with "Dragon," and that's why he wasn't answering any calls. Since Jounouchi was there to spend his father's friend's money after another lost poker game, he decided to book Dragon for himself and get an answer once and for all. He had almost thought it wouldn't work because of the incident at the front desk, but the intervening phone call had changed all of that.

There was just something suspicious about the way that Yami always dodged any questions regarding his brothel visits and Jounouchi wanted to get to the bottom of it. Between that and Kaiba's sudden change in behavior when around Yami, Jounouchi had enough evidence to act. Not to mention the little exchange he had witnessed from the window in the detention room that afternoon; it was too suspicious for comfort. He didn't know what type of blackmail Kaiba had used on Yami to keep him coming to the brothel, but it was obvious to Jounouchi that his friend was in distress and he was going to put a stop to it. Kaiba had obviously conned him in some way and Jounouchi wouldn't stop until his friend was free of such tyranny.

Kaiba merely shrugged the comment away; he had been called worse and by far worse people. The years of service had jaded Kaiba and there was the added knowledge that Jounouchi was struggling to do anything he could to look like the better man. "Then what do you want to hear?" Kaiba smoothly asked, assuming a casually defensive position.

"Why does Yami keep coming back to see you?" Jounouchi bluntly asked, knowing that they didn't have a lot of time to waste with pointless posturing. He had the faintest hope that maybe if he was up front, Kaiba would repay the favor, but Jounouchi didn't have that much faith in his most hated rival.

"Because I'm a good fuck?" Kaiba perversely suggested, relishing the disgusted look on Jounouchi's face that he failed to hide.

Jounouchi could tell that he was being baited and he tried to clamp down on his anger; then again, he tried doing that every time he dealt with Kaiba and it had never worked in the past. "No, you sick bastard! Obviously you have some sort of information you're using against Yami to get him to keep coming back here and—"

Kaiba could only laugh at the simpleminded reasoning of the blonde and he watched as Jounouchi cracked a little further under pressure. "You really think I'm blackmailing him?" Kaiba scoffed.

Growling low in his throat, Jounouchi realized how farfetched it was to think of blackmail as the primary reason for Yami's visits. What potential information could someone like Kaiba even have? Jounouchi just couldn't think of any valid reasons that weren't disgusting or unbelievable options in his opinion, so blackmail was the most obvious choice.

When Jounouchi failed to answer, Kaiba goaded, "Is it really so hard for you to believe that he _likes_ what I can do for him?"

"Yo, shut your filthy fucking mouth!" Jounouchi yelled, unable to restrain his reaction. "Yami's not a disgusting fag like you!"

Raising both of his eyebrows in surprise, Kaiba carefully regarded the fuming teen before him who was panting with the effort of his rage. "You seem to have misunderstood something, mutt. Although that's hardly surprising," Kaiba arrogantly commented.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Jounouchi demanded, passing the point of infuriated.

Approaching Jounouchi with the seductive grace lent to him by natural talents refined by practice, Kaiba waited until he was right in front of the teen to point out, "You forget that I also enjoy fucking women. That disqualifies me from being grouped under your slur of a label."

There was something in Kaiba's sensuous demeanor that was freaking Jounouchi out and it didn't help that it was a valid point, either. "You probably only fuck them because you're paid to," Jounouchi shot back, refusing to take a step back like his body was desperately screaming at him to do.

"As long as it feels good, I don't really care what gender they are," Kaiba purred, making Jounouchi even more uncomfortable.

"You're so disgusting," Jounouchi hatefully spat, his skin crawling at the implication.

"You know what I think?" Kaiba asked with a chuckle.

"Who cares what you think?" Jounouchi countered, that little warning going off in his mind again.

Smirking victoriously and leaning closer to Jounouchi, Kaiba murmured lowly in his ear, "I think that you're jealous."

Shoving hard at Kaiba's chest to try and push him back, Jounouchi demanded, "What the hell do I have to be jealous of?"

Looking Jounouchi in the eyes, Kaiba replied, "Either you're jealous that you aren't the one with me, or—"

Unable to contain his reaction, Jounouchi interrupted, "That's something to be grateful for, not jealous over, dipshit!"

Looking entirely too smug for Jounouchi's comfort, Kaiba voiced his true belief, "Then you're jealous that I got to Yami first."

"_What_?" Jounouchi exploded, incapable of considering the full ramifications of what Kaiba had said.

It was more fun than it should have been to torment Jounouchi, "Other than that, there's no reason for you to be this worked up about him unless you want him for yourself, mutt."

Knowing that denial was pointless with someone like Jounouchi, he snapped, "I just want you to stay the hell away from my friend, damn it!"

"_Why_?" Kaiba insisted, somewhat disappointed that he hadn't gotten a better reaction out of the teen. When Jounouchi continued to flounder in explanations, Kaiba's urge to provoke the mutt resurfaced. "Obviously I'm not the one that you need to be having the conversation with."

It was infuriating to Jounouchi and he started to get the feeling that Kaiba was just toying with him. "I'm being serious, asshole!"

Even though Kaiba knew he was going to be in the shower for hours trying to get clean after the ordeal was over, he proceeded with his plan. Wrapping his arm around Jounouchi's waist and holding him tightly, Kaiba pressed his body against his struggling enemy's. "Then shall I show you the reason he keeps coming back, mutt?" Kaiba murmured in a devastatingly sexy tone of voice that paralyzed Jounouchi temporarily.

Although he froze for but a moment, Jounouchi started to struggle against the embrace without trying to touch Kaiba, which was proving to be decidedly difficult. "Let me go!" Jounouchi commanded, feeling a bubble of panic when Kaiba didn't immediately comply.

"You've already paid," Kaiba reminded Jounouchi, refusing to let his captive go. "Might as well get your money's worth, right?"

"That's not why I came here!" Jounouchi protested, but it fell upon disbelieving ears.

It was entirely too enjoyable to get Jounouchi so worked up and Kaiba continued, reveling in his vulgarity. "So you didn't come here to try and fuck me into submission?" Kaiba asked in a disbelieving tone. "Wouldn't being buried balls deep into me be the perfect revenge for you?"

The image was horrifying to Jounouchi and he immediately started protesting, completely revolted by the thought; he couldn't even stand to picture himself fucking Kaiba, even if there was a part of him begrudgingly had to admit it would be perfect. But Kaiba was trying to goad him into it and that made Jounouchi dig in all the more; as if he would give Kaiba the pleasure! "You sick fuck, that's what you want me to do, isn't it?" Jounouchi accused him. "You want me to fuck you like the whore you are!"

"No," Kaiba sadistically denied as he ran one of his hands along Jounouchi's jean clad ass before firmly groping it and hating that it wasn't half bad for a mutt, "I'd much rather have you on all fours, ass up, and fuck you from behind like the loser dog that you are until you are _begging_ me for more."

It was too much for Jounouchi to endure and his temper finally broke as he tried throwing a punch at Kaiba's face that was far too close for comfort. Rather than dodging the fist, Kaiba merely grabbed it and in a fluid motion, he was behind Jounouchi, kicking his knees out from under him and sending the teen to the floor, his arm twisted painfully behind his back. Jounouchi cried out and tried to fight against Kaiba, but it felt like his shoulder was going to come out of his socket. "That was unwise," Kaiba informed Jounouchi coldly, twisting Jounouchi's arm further until he yelped again in pain. "You really are an idiot."

Jounouchi gritted his teeth against the pain, but it was almost blinding because of the angle Kaiba had him pinned. "I hate you so much," Jounouchi hissed, swearing loudly when Kaiba tightened his grip further.

Leaning over Jounouchi's shoulder, Kaiba warned in a low voice, "Consider this your lesson not to try and interfere with me, mutt. You _will_ lose."

The promise of violence in the sensuous rumble of Kaiba's voice caused Jounouchi to shiver with fear. "I'm not afraid of you!" Jounouchi defiantly spat, wishing that Kaiba would let him go.

"You should be," Kaiba stated with a sinister laugh, before placing his lips right next to Jounouchi's ear to whisper so soft there was no chance of the cameras detecting it, "especially if you continue harassing Yami."

"And what could you possibly—?" Jounouchi snapped, interrupting himself with a shout when he felt Kaiba crack the bones in his wrists.

"I am capable of hurting you in ways that you can't even _begin_ to imagine, mutt," Kaiba promised, pleased when the door opened and two men in suits entered. Only then did Kaiba release Jounouchi and shove him forward to the floor as he looked up at the newcomers. "Took you long enough."

Both men bowed low to Kaiba and simultaneous apologized, "Forgive us, Dragon-sama."

"Get this piece of shit out of my sight," Kaiba loftily commanded, waving in Jounouchi's general direction. "See that I am not troubled by his presence again."

"Yes, Dragon-sama," they both affirmed as they bent down to pick Jounouchi up off the floor. He couldn't bite back the groan of pain when they hauled him to his feet and Jounouchi wondered if Kaiba really had dislocated his shoulder in the process.

"I won't forget this!" Jounouchi yelled, trying to resist the men despite the pain it caused him.

Rolling his eyes at the protest, Kaiba condescendingly commented, "Good, then maybe there's some hope for you after all."

There was something incredibly gratifying about watching the security guards dragging Jounouchi out of the room and Kaiba heaved a shaky sigh when the door shut behind them and left him all alone again. An overwhelming sense of relief came over him at having successfully avoided being intimate with Jounouchi, but Kaiba tried to curb it. He knew that Gozaburo wouldn't be far behind and there was bound to be repercussions for his actions, but it was worth it. Then there was Yami's reaction later to deal with; it made Kaiba wondered if his rival was waiting downstairs to have it out with Jounouchi. There were a lot of aspects of Yami's visit that he still needed to process on top of the latest development with Jounouchi, but Kaiba pushed those thoughts aside for a time when he would be able to properly deal with such things.

Before Kaiba could go over to pick up the towel he had cast aside earlier, the door opened without warning and Gozaburo entered with a menacing air. Mentally steeling himself for yet another painful encounter, Kaiba respectfully bowed low to his adopted father and tried not to visibly tense as Gozaburo approached him. Kaiba hated that without clothes, he couldn't hide his physical discomfort; his body was too quick to betray him to his adopted father at times. "Outou-sama," Kaiba greeted, not daring to look up at Gozaburo until he had permission.

"You must be quite pleased with yourself," Gozaburo commented in a tone of voice that froze Kaiba's blood as he was physically forced to look up at his adopted father. "That was a willful act of intentionally antagonizing him to the point of violence to be banned."

"As if I would let myself be defiled by such filth," Kaiba arrogantly replied, making a dangerous gamble on which specific test Gozaburo had just tried to administer. "It is hardly my fault that he is an ill-trained mutt."

"You're walking a fine line, boy," Gozaburo warned as he released Kaiba. "You are bordering dangerously close to displeasing me."

It felt like he was being let off the hook too easily and Kaiba didn't trust the nonchalant reaction. "Forgive me, outou-sama," Kaiba said, although it was not an apology.

"For which transgression?" Gozaburo asked, hoping to pin Kaiba specifically.

"Sir?" Kaiba replied, realizing that his fears were getting close to being actualized.

"Between that little stunt with the blonde and Yami, you have a lot you need to be making up for," Gozaburo answered, pleased when he noticed the way Kaiba's muscles tensed when the scarlet eyed teen was mentioned. "Luckily for you, Yami seems to be far brighter than his so-called friend."

Kaiba's mind was racing over what would possibly make Gozaburo state such a thing and he got a sinking feeling that something had happened while he was otherwise engaged with Jounouchi. A question was on the tip of his tongue, but Kaiba smothered the urge, knowing that any interest expressed was just further evidence for Gozaburo. Besides, the silence led Gozaburo to continue goading, "I would be more upset if it weren't for the fact that I can understand your…_infatuation_ with the boy."

"Oh?" Kaiba asked in a neutral tone, knowing that remaining completely silent would also be to his detriment. Despite his projected ambivalence, Kaiba's heart was hammering in nervousness over what Gozaburo was alluding to with his vagaries.

"Do not misunderstand me," Gozaburo warned as he reached out and brushed the place just above Kaiba's hip where Yami's mark had been. It made Kaiba feel nauseous and he had a momentary flash of Gozaburo touching Yami in the same way; it made his hatred for his adoptive father all the more potent. "If you _ever _do something like that outside of these walls again, I will not be so lenient with my punishment. You will suffer far worse than the indignation of that pathetic excuse for an existence."

Kaiba's skin crawled with the need to be away from those large, probing fingers and he fought valiantly against his instinct to physically react. "And if I said that was my punishment to Yami for leaving in such a disgraceful manner yesterday and incentive for him to return tonight?" Kaiba questioned, knowing that was his only shot at potentially excusing the hickey in Gozaburo's eyes.

"Never again," Gozaburo warned for a final time before slowly sliding his hand up Kaiba's torso to wrap around his delicate throat as he had previously done to Yami. Gozaburo relished the feeling of Kaiba swallowing hard in response, darkly pleased by the way he felt his adopted son's pulse spike in fear. "Or do you need another reminder about what happens when you disobey your master?"

"No, sir," Kaiba demurely murmured, trying not to panic. He knew what that threat meant and it wasn't something Kaiba ever wanted to endure again. Kaiba burned with humiliation, hating how powerless he was in that situation.

"Good boy," Gozaburo patronizingly praised him, relinquishing his grip on Kaiba's throat to pat him on the cheek. "Oh, and he has been warned as well."

Although Gozaburo had just casually thrown out such a statement, Kaiba's blood ran cold at the potential meaning behind those words. "I'm sure that it will be sufficient," Kaiba blandly stated, even though he was fuming with rage inside over the situation. What sort of warning had Gozaburo given Yami? Anything he could think of was beyond terrible and he could only hope that Yami was fine after whatever punishment Gozaburo had inflicted upon him.

Chuckling darkly, Gozaburo commented, "Perhaps, but I know I will enjoy that punishment a great deal if he dares to disobey me."

Kaiba didn't know what it meant, but he could well imagine that implications. It sickened him further and Kaiba was overcome with a sudden need to see Yami, to reassure himself that his rival was okay. He knew that under no certain circumstance could he see or even contact Yami tonight; besides, it was only a temporary whim. There was tomorrow in school, a place where Gozaburo had yet to install successful spies to report back on Kaiba's behavior. There was also still a part of him that was wondering what would happen between Jounouchi and Yami, but Kaiba knew it was pointless to dwell on such things; there was nothing to be gained from such distractions.

Realizing that he had yet to respond, Kaiba bowed his head respectfully as he murmured, "As you say, outou-sama."

Smirking cruelly, Gozaburo warned, "Just remember what happens when you disappoint me, boy," before walking out and leaving Kaiba alone in the room.

Refusing to show his physical relief of Gozaburo's departure for fear of his adopted father reviewing the tape, Kaiba exhaled slowly and he scowled imperceptibly at the fact that it felt like he had gotten off too lightly in punishment. Not only had Kaiba blatantly disobeyed, he had assaulted a paying customer, no matter how disgusting of a patron they were. There had been no threats toward Mokuba or any mention of revoking privileges to see his younger brother and that wasn't like Gozaburo.

_What is he playing at?_ Kaiba wondered as he finally allowed himself to retreat to the shower in his personal room. He wanted to wash any trace of Jounouchi and Gozaburo's touch from his skin; he couldn't stand it, couldn't tolerate the disgusting feelings any longer. It was obvious to Kaiba that Gozaburo was up to something, but he couldn't figure out anything concretely beyond the fact that it probably had something to do with Yami in some form. It made Kaiba nervous, made him incredibly uncomfortable to think of Gozaburo taking any interest in Yami; it was dangerous beyond anything conceivable. Especially since he had stated that he understood Kaiba's supposed "infatuation" with Yami; that didn't sit well with him at all. What kind of an interest _had_ Gozaburo taken in Yami?

The whole thing made Kaiba want to punch his fists repeatedly into something to alleviate some of the pressure building up inside of him. He could only hope that his next client was in the mood for something rough, because Kaiba had a lot of aggression that needed an outlet. All of his rage, anger, humiliation, and uncertainty were just begging to be let loose, but Kaiba couldn't allow it to manifest in anything other than a willing patron.

Thinking about such things was accomplishing nothing other than upsetting Kaiba further and he forcibly pushed the thoughts from his mind as he finally found sanctuary in his private shower. Instead of dwelling on thoughts of Gozaburo's plotting or Jounouchi's attempts at shaking his resolve, Kaiba did something he rarely allowed himself to do: he submersed himself in memories of Yami for a shameful moment of comfort that he was desperately in need of at the moment. It felt like weakness—hell, it was a weakness of the most humiliating kind—but in the safety of his solitude, Kaiba allowed himself to think about how it had felt to embrace Yami from behind in the bath in a moment that had brought him such a rare moment of peace; it was too dangerous to remember the embrace in bed.

* * *

**A/N:** Been a chaotic few chapters, to say the least and it's not over yet…

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Damn it, Yami! I know you're in there!" Jounouchi yelled as he started pounding on the door. "Come out here and face me like a man!"_

_Yuugi looked at Yami in astonishment, wondering what exactly had happened earlier in the evening to change so drastically. "Maybe if I tell him that you're not home…?" Yuugi weakly suggested._

My best friend is coming to stay with me for a week (yay!), but I'm going to endeavor to get the chapter up on **Sunday, January 3rd**! Wouldn't be a proper start to the new year without an update, ne? I suppose I should make finishing _Anywhen_ my New Year's Resolution…


	17. Chapter 17: Break

**Chapter 17: Break  
**

Although Yami had contemplated staying at Kaiba Corporation to confront Jounouchi, he decided against it. They had already caused enough problems for one night and Yami wanted to get as far away from Gozaburo as humanly possible. He was still deeply disturbed by his encounter with the older man and it was almost enough to distract Yami from the Jounouchi situation. _Almost_.

The only other option was to return home, but the thought of being trapped inside of the walls with only his thoughts was daunting. However, sensibility ultimately won out in light of desire and Yami returned to his grandfather's Game Shop. Taking off his shoes at the entrance, Yami listened for any trace of his relatives and heard none of the telltale signs of their presence. For that reason, Yami gave in to the urge to slam the door as hard as he could, cussing loudly when it still wasn't enough to calm the firestorm of emotions within him. It made him miss doors that opened and closed; sliding doors just didn't have the same effect.

Yami stood in the middle of the entrance way, trembling with the force of his rage when he heard hurried footsteps thundering down the stairs. Bracing himself for a conversation that he wasn't ready to have, Yami mentally cursed when Yuugi appeared, his wide eyes full of worry. "What happened?" Yuugi asked in a bewildered tone as he tried to assess the situation. Everything had been fine when he had left earlier and it was a complete shock to see Yami in such a state; normally he was so calm and collected, so to see him so worked up was almost beyond comprehension.

"I wasn't aware that you were home," Yami quietly replied, rather than answering. "I didn't mean to disturb you."

"What happened?" Yuugi repeated, still stunned at Yami's demeanor.

Yami could only stare at Yuugi, as if that somehow could convey the horrible night through such an action. There was a strange fear that by verbally relating the events would make them real, that it would actually mean Jounouchi was with Kaiba right now; if he thought about what they were doing, Yami would need to do far more than slam a door to appease the rage just begging to be let free. Yami could only manage to shake his head, unwilling to talk yet, unable to relate the horrors that were probably happening at that very minute.

Yuugi's worry was turning into concern and he walked over to Yami and placed his hand on his crossed arms. "Yami, please tell me," Yuugi implored.

As tempting as it was to unleash the pent up anger, Yami gruffly refused, "I can't." He knew that Jounouchi had been friends with Yuugi for years and Yami didn't want their unrelated problems to impact the friendship. "Not right now."

"Did you fight with Kaiba-kun?" Yuugi guessed, trying not to take it personally when Yami shook his hand off and walked away.

"No," Yami tersely answered as he headed to the kitchen.

Yuugi followed him in the hopes of getting an answer, nervously watching as Yami got a glass of water with hands that were noticeably shaking. "About Kaiba-kun?" Yuugi hesitantly asked, noticing that Yami's fingers tightened around the glass. "With Jounouchi-kun?"

Looking down at the kitchen floor as he leaned against the counter, Yami held off replying. His silence was an obvious answer and Yami took a steady breath before requesting, "Can we please talk about this later? I just…can't. Not right now."

"I'm always willing to listen," Yuugi reassured him.

Giving Yuugi a small smile, Yami thanked him, "I appreciate it."

They remained in silence for awhile as Yuugi struggled to come up with an excuse to stay in Yami's presence a little longer, just to make sure that he was really okay. Yami was the first to break the silence as he inquired, "How was Anzu?" Yami was doing anything to keep his mind off of what was happening, even if it meant asking questions that he didn't give a damn about the answers.

"She's a little stressed over a presentation that she has to give next week, but other than that, she's fine," Yuugi answered, recognizing Yami's attempt at changing the subject. "She says hi, by the way. You really should come out with us some time."

"Maybe next time," Yami compromised, knowing that it was important to Yuugi.

The calm moment was interrupted by a loud knock on the door and Yami immediately tensed, suspecting who was on the other side waiting. "Don't answer it," Yami told Yuugi, downing the rest of his water and setting aside the empty glass before he gave in to the temptation to break it.

"Damn it, Yami! I know you're in there!" Jounouchi yelled as he started pounding on the door. "Come out here and face me like a man!"

Yuugi looked at Yami in astonishment, wondering what exactly had happened earlier in the evening to change so drastically. "Maybe if I tell him that you're not home?" Yuugi weakly suggested.

Before Yami could reject the idea, the door was slammed open and the scarlet eyed teen cursed again as he realized that he forgot to lock the door behind him when Yuugi had distracted him. "Too ashamed to face me?" Jounouchi yelled, reviving Yami's anger.

Storming to the entrance way where Jounouchi was waiting, Yami coldly ordered, "Get. _Out_."

"No!" Jounouchi defiantly shouted.

"Get the fuck out of my house!" Yami commanded, his voice rising in anger.

Rolling his eyes at the possessive and still needing to be contradictory in his irritation, Jounouchi pointed out, "It's not your house, it's your _grandfather's_."

"It doesn't matter whose house it is," Yami seethed, "get the fuck out of here!"

Yuugi realized things were already getting out of hand and he walked over to the feuding teens and tried to intervene, "I'm not really sure what's going on, but—"

"Why don't you tell him, Yami?" Jounouchi goaded with a sneer.

"Leave him out of it!" Yami snapped, his hands tightening into fists.

Blatantly ignoring Yami, Jounouchi told Yuugi, "Yami's been betraying all of us by fucking Kaiba! That filthy fucking whore!"

"Jounouchi-kun!" Yuugi exclaimed in shock, his violet eyes wide in disbelief. "How can you say that about Kaiba-kun?"

"Because I caught these two assholes—"

Slamming Jounouchi against the nearest wall and causing the teen to flinch in pain from his shoulder, Yami hissed, "Shut the fuck up and _leave_!"

Not having any of it, Jounouchi shoved himself off of the wall and broke Yami's grasp on him. "No!" Jounouchi refused, resisting the urge to hold his shoulder. "Why the hell should I listen to you when you fuck him?"

"Who I fuck is of no concern to you!" Yami yelled, more adamant in his assertion than in his embarrassment.

"It is when it's him!" Jounouchi shot back, his disgust evident in his tone and expression.

Jounouchi's extreme reaction puzzled Yami to say the least and he asked, "Why? What difference does it make if it's Kaiba or anyone else? How does that have any impact on you?"

"Because you're supposed to be our goddamn friend and you're fucking my worst enemy!" Jounouchi heatedly replied, his voice raw with his hurt.

Even though Yami was still unclear over the animosity between the two teens, it wasn't about that at the moment. "By your logic, you should support me because you're my friend and—"

"Not when it's him!" Jounouchi vehemently objected. "Out of everyone in that damn building, why did you have to choose _him_?"

"Why do I have to justify my decisions to you?" Yami continued arguing, refusing to back down over it and yet not willing to reveal anything more than he had to.

"I would at least understand if you were doing it to humiliate him," Jounouchi said, his voice finally lowering from its loud volume. "Or if you were using it as an opportunity to punish him for being such a dick to all of us or something! At least that would make _sense_ to me!"

Although Yuugi had largely been silent since the fight had started, he couldn't help himself from interjecting, "Jounouchi-kun, that's terrible! How could you even suggest such a thing?"

"Because I refuse to believe that Yami's going to see that bastard because he _enjoys_ it," Jounouchi told Yuugi, sounding somewhat anguished. "That's just too disgusting a thought!"

Tilting his head as he regarded his friend, Yuugi innocently asked, "Why? What's wrong with Kaiba-kun and Yami?"

Jounouchi's jaw actually dropped at the easy way Yuugi indirectly confessed such a thing and he could only stare at his friend in disbelief. It was too much to process that one of his best friends would actually betray him in such a manner to actually support Yami seeing Kaiba on top of it all. "Are you telling me that you're _okay_ with the fact that Yami fucks that bastard?" Jounouchi quietly inquired, his voice flat and controlled.

Shrugging with a hint of a blush on his cheeks, Yuugi confessed, "I…I don't have a problem with it."

Jounouchi was once again enraged by disbelief and he turned on Yami as he grabbed him by his shirt and yanked him close to accuse, "And now you've managed to get _Yuugi_ to turn on me, too? You fucking bastard!"

The sight of Jounouchi getting ready to attack Yami made Yuugi frantically try and tug them apart, as he pleaded, "No, that's not—come on, please, Jounouchi-kun! Please don't do this!"

Ignoring Yuugi's attempts at separating them and his desperate pleas, Jounouchi looked at Yami as he sneered, "Well, I guess it's appropriate. Kaiba turns you against me, you turn Yuugi against me—"

"We aren't against you!" Yuugi insisted, but it did nothing to calm Jounouchi.

Yami's temper was starting to flare again as well and he shoved Jounouchi hard to break free, not missing the way it made him grimace. The overreaction to a mere push confused the scarlet eyed teen, but he didn't have time to question it since Jounouchi shot back at Yuugi, "Oh, so this bastard's fuck buddy," while pointing at Yami for emphasis, "almost breaks my damn shoulder and neither one of you give a shit?"

"You shouldn't have fucking touched him!" Yami spat, wondering what terrible thing Jounouchi must have done to cause Kaiba to retaliate physically in such a manner. "You shouldn't have been there at all!"

Jounouchi stared at Yami in shock at his reaction, stunned by the fact that his supposed friend was blaming him for getting injured. At the same time, Yuugi made it all the worse when he softly stuttered, "I-I'm sure that you're exaggerating…Kaiba-kun couldn't break your shoulder while you were…uhm…"

When Jounouchi started to made a vulgar clarification, Yami shouted, "Shut your fucking mouth, Jounouchi!"

Narrowing his eyes in anger, Jounouchi continued in a threatening tone, "Aww, does it upset you to know that was with me? Tell me, do you still intend to go back to him?"

The seemingly non-sequitur threw Yami off and he asked with some amount of exasperation, "What difference does it make to you?"

Getting physically closer to Yami as if that would somehow intimidate him, Jounouchi wanted to know, "Are you still going to see him even after knowing that I was with him? Knowing that I had him screaming my name?" Sure, it was a bit of an exaggeration, but Jounouchi was hoping to invoke a reaction from Yami, even if the means were a bit underhanded.

A nasty flash of jealousy coursed through Yami and it was hard to breathe for a moment as he struggled to get control of himself. He couldn't think of Jounouchi touching Kaiba or anything beyond that and the nauseous feeling returned stronger, his emotional turmoil seeking any outlet for release. It was why Yami couldn't verbally react initially and Yuugi was the first to respond, "Oh, Jounouchi-kun, you _didn't_…!"

"And if I did?" Jounouchi goaded with a particularly dirty leer. "If I made him beg like the pathetic whore that he is?"

The mental image of Kaiba begging for Jounouchi to stop pounding into him finally succeeded in breaking Yami and he tackled his friend to the ground with a vicious growl. He had successfully managed to pin Jounouchi down as he hissed, "Don't say another word!"

The position prevented Jounouchi from fighting back, the sudden jolt and pressure on his shoulder making his vision start to tunnel temporarily before it cleared. He had a momentary regret for divulging his injured shoulder, because Yami was using the injury to his full advantage. "Can't handle it?" Jounouchi sneered. "Even you can't deny that he's a whore by _profession_."

Using Jounouchi's shirt to pull the teen up and slam him back down against the hardwood floor, his head made a sickening sound on contact that had Yuugi trying to pull Yami off of his friend before he was seriously injured. Yami didn't even pay any attention to Yuugi; he could barely hear anything over the roaring rush of blood in his ears that was demanding he avenge Kaiba in some way. "He's not like that!" Yami protested, shaking with his anger.

"Just because you pretend he's your lover doesn't mean he does that for everyone else," Jounouchi pointed out, even though the force of the hit made him dizzy as his vision swam. "When are you going to figure out that he's just using you, Yami?"

"He's not!" Yami vehemently protested, his grip on Jounouchi's shirt tightening. "He wouldn't do that!"

"He'll do anything for money," Jounouchi countered, "including you, apparently."

To say that Yuugi was uncomfortable observing the unfolding scene was an understatement and he desperately tried to think of something to break them apart, "Please, there's no need for you two to—"

"Stay out of it," Jounouchi told Yuugi, taking his eyes off of Yami only for a moment to look at his friend before returning his gaze to enraged crimson. The break in insulting volleys made him realize just how awkward their respective positions were; the way Yami was straddled on top of him was entirely too sexualized in light of their confrontation and Jounouchi suddenly needed to get free. It brought too many awkward reminders of Kaiba's taunts at Jounouchi being jealous about Yami and he would have shaken his head to clear his mind if he weren't so sure that he would pass out from the action.

Taking a calculated risk, Jounouchi murmured at Yami, "So is this what you do to him?"

Whether Yami's cheeks were flushed from embarrassment or shame was unclear, but his expression was clearly indignant. "Why do you want to know?" Yami asked, shifting his weight forward and indirectly putting more pressure on Jounouchi's shoulder. "It's between us anyway."

"There is no 'us' in things like that," Jounouchi argued, unusually perceptive for once. "It's you and every other customer."

Jounouchi's goal was to piss Yami enough to make him stand up in disgust, but he got more than he bargained for when he continued on, "What's it going to take for you to realize that he's just a dirty slut who will spread his legs for anyone with a bank account?"

The comment pushed too far and Yami physically reacted before he even realized that it was his fist connecting hard with Jounouchi's face. He got in a second punch before Yuugi grabbed his fist while Jounouchi cried out in pain as he instinctively held the part of his face that Yami had assaulted. Yami struggled against Yuugi's grasp as Jounouchi yelled, "Why the fuck did you hit me when I'm just trying to be a good friend and protect you from that manipulative bastard?"

"Because the only person I need protected from is you!" Yami shot back, still struggling against Yuugi's hold, who was clinging for dear life to prevent another retaliating hit. "You act like you're protecting me from something and I don't need it! You keep claiming to be a 'good friend' and yet you didn't listen when I asked you to leave! And now you're going to come into _my_ house and insult him on top of it? Go fuck yourself, Jounouchi! I don't need your protection and if you're going to keep acting like such a dick, I don't need you as a friend, either!"

The words shocked Yuugi and he tried in vain to be the voice of reason, "Come on, you don't mean that."

"So you would choose him over our friendship?" Jounouchi incredulously demanded.

"If you were really my friend, you wouldn't make me try and chose," Yami coldly replied as he stood up in disgust and out of Yuugi's grasp.

"What? So you're just going to walk away?" Jounouchi asked as he stood up, trying not to sway on his feet from the bloodrush of pain.

Glaring at Jounouchi with a hatred that surpassed anything the blonde had seen even at the brothel, Yami threatened, "Unless you want me to finish what I started, yes."

"What, so that's it?" Jounouchi incredulously questioned.

"I have nothing else to say to you," Yami practically snarled, "other than get the fuck out of my house and in the future, keep your opinions about Kaiba to yourself, and stay the fuck away from me."

Jounouchi continued protesting, but Yami didn't listen to a word of it as he walked upstairs, feeling only a small twinge of guilt for leaving Yuugi alone downstairs to deal with the irate teen. Even though he wanted to slam his bedroom door to make a point, Yami resisted the childish urge and instead rested his back against it before sliding down it to sit on the floor. Curling up on himself, only then did Yami feel the throb of pain in his hand from punching Jounouchi, but it paled in comparison to the pain in his heart over the situation with Kaiba. He still had no clue what Jounouchi had done to Kaiba and it was eating him up inside; Yami could only hope that Kaiba wouldn't hold it against him later.

* * *

**A/N:** I never thought I'd manage to make a story where I could realistically have Yami punch Jounouchi, but I think I managed it here, ne? I know a lot of you were hoping SOMEONE would punch Jounouchi, so I'm quite certain a few of you will be cheering for this chapter.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Standing up and pulling Yami to his feet, Kaiba elaborated with a slight smirk, "I'm suggesting that we spend the rest of the afternoon elsewhere."_

We're moving closer to what everyone has been desperately waiting for, so check back on **Sunday, January 10th **for the next chapter! I'm on my way to the airport now to pick up my friend, so you'll have to forgive me for putting off review replies for one more week. But I suspect I'll have quite a few over this one, haha. You guys are the best!


	18. Chapter 18: The Morning After

**Chapter 18: The Morning After  
**

Even though Yami had been up for barely an hour by the time he dragged himself into homeroom, he was already filled with great dread. He had barely slept at all last night and most of it had been filled with horrible dreams about Jounouchi and Kaiba engaged in things that he was better off not thinking about at all. It made his blood boil with rage and his stomach turn with pain, but Yami didn't know if he wanted to avoid seeing Kaiba so as not to be confronted with it or hope that he could catch him alone to find out what really happened. Kaiba had seemed so confident that Jounouchi couldn't do anything to him, but Yami found that it was hard to place his trust in that, largely because of Gozaburo's totalitarian reign.

Gozaburo was a whole different issue that gave Yami a new kind of anxiety; his skin crawled at the memory of those large fingers on his skin and he tried not to think about that aspect of things. It only made him wonder what Gozaburo had done in the past to Kaiba, what he was still doing to ensure that Kaiba continued working at the brothel. The whole thing infuriated and depressed Yami in a confusing mix of emotions and was once again left with contradictory urges to see Kaiba.

Of course, it was completely at odds with his emotions over seeing Jounouchi. Yami wanted nothing to do with his so-called friend, but on the other hand, he didn't like to leave anything unresolved. Then again, it was as resolved as it was going to get without Jounouchi having a change of heart. He wanted to think that Jounouchi would realize the error in his ways, but Yami had his doubts that would happen any time soon—if at all.

Every time the door opened, Yami looked over as casually as he could from his seat on top of his desk to see who was entering, only to be continually disappointed as the rest of his classmates filed into the room with varying degrees of disgruntlement. Yami couldn't shake the feeling that Gozaburo was holding Kaiba in punishment and that he wouldn't come in today, but he couldn't let himself dwell on that thought. Then there was the issue of Jounouchi; he still hadn't arrived yet either.

As if summoned by thought alone, Kaiba finally entered the classroom, looking for all the world that it was a morning just like any other. The feeling of relief that flooded through Yami was a powerful one and it made Yami feel more than a little ridiculous, but that didn't stop that little jolt of excitement over his rival's appearance. Looking up at Kaiba for some sort of acknowledgement, Yami felt his heart drop when his rival passed by without a word to his own seat. Yami looked down at the floor in disappointment, fighting back the flood of negative emotions that tried to surface over the snub.

Thus, it came as a complete surprise when Kaiba stepped in between his splayed legs, sans his bookbag that he had merely dropped off at his seat. "Did you think I was going to ignore you?" Kaiba asked in a quiet tone, looking around discretely to make sure that no one was paying them any attention.

Yami was overwhelmed with the urge to hug Kaiba, to hold him in reassurance that he was okay, but he couldn't do anything except look up at his rival with overly emotional eyes. "You were worried," Kaiba stated, as if this were a sudden realization that made little sense to him.

"Of course I was worried!" Yami shot back, his voice quiet despite the strength of his emotion. "Hell, I still am."

The second assertion puzzled Kaiba, but he didn't question the issue as he reminded Yami, "I told you I would be fine."

"Telling me you'll be fine and actually _being_ fine are two different things," Yami muttered.

Leaning closer to Yami until they were almost touching, Kaiba murmured in his ear, "I appreciate it, even though it is unnecessary." From his vantage point, Kaiba could see the door when it opened and his eyes widened when he saw Jounouchi enter the room with a noticeable black eye and another sizable bruise on his jaw. "Oh, _please_ tell me you did that and not our men…"

Just as Yami was about to question what Kaiba meant, he saw Jounouchi out of the corner of his eye and was shocked when he saw the damage he had done in his rage. Combined with the impressed note in Kaiba's voice, it sent conflicting feelings of desire and embarrassment through Yami. Making the softest noise of acknowledgement, Yami dared to look into Kaiba's eyes and was floored by the hungry look of appreciation in those unusually expressive blue eyes. It was almost breathtaking and it nearly distracted him from the feeling that shot straight to his cock when Kaiba whispered warmly in his ear, "Reminded me to thank you properly later."

Clamping down on his urge to take Yami right there on the desk, Kaiba forced himself to take a step back for his own protection. He wanted to touch Yami, wanted to take him away so they could express themselves in a more effective way without words, but that would have to wait for later. Yami's feelings were practically parallel to Kaiba's and he tried not to feel too disappointed by the space created between them as Kaiba left without a word, even though he subtly trailed his fingers down Yami's thighs as he walked away. Only after Kaiba had sat down did Jounouchi dare to look over at Yami and he only gave a severely disapproving look, but said nothing. Surprisingly, Yami wasn't bothered by it; all he could focus on was the feeling of fading warmth of Kaiba's touch on his upper thigh.

* * *

**A/N:** I know this one is really short, but I didn't have a lot of time to work on the chapter this week and I'm not pleased with what I had for the later half. So I shall have to beg your patience for a little longer since I split the chapter because of it.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Kaiba sat down next to Yami in the small dry area, their shoulders touching as they looked out over the rooftop. "How did you know that I would be up here?" Yami asked, glancing over at Kaiba through his blonde bangs._

Next update is on **Sunday, January 17th**, my last weekend before I'm back in school. I'm so glad that everyone enjoyed last week's update so much and I loved reading all of your reviews! Replies will probably go out this Monday, time permitting. And although this one is short, it is leading into more promising things, honest.


	19. Chapter 19: Delving

**Chapter 19: Delving**

Exhausted didn't even begin to cover how Yami felt as he sat under the roof's overhang while cutting second period. It was silent save for the sounds of the city and the falling rain, which suited Yami just fine. He just needed a break from it all and he knew that no one else would come up to the roof in such weather during class. Even though he tried to act like everything was okay and they were only a few hours into the school day, he had been on edge ever since Kaiba's promise and because of Jounouchi's attitude; it just wore out Yami's strained patience. Although Kaiba had so sensually suggested what was to come, they had barely interacted with each other during first period, let alone on a personal level. Still, just being near Kaiba was enough to set Yami's nerves alight and his mind kept drifting to sexual thoughts best left alone given the circumstances. As for Jounouchi, they had pointedly ignored each other thus far, but that was fine with Yami; he had nothing to say to him anyway.

His solitude was momentarily disturbed by the door opening and Yami curled in on himself to avoid being noticed. The door closed almost immediately and Yami relaxed, thinking that the intruding presence had departed. He mentally swore when he heard footsteps approaching and he looked up to find Kaiba walking toward him. Yami was simultaneously shocked at his appearance and then annoyed with himself for not realizing it sooner. Even then, Yami was still admiring the way Kaiba look darkly beautiful in the rain.

Kaiba sat down next to Yami in the small dry area, their shoulders touching as they looked out over the rooftop. "How did you know that I would be up here?" Yami asked, glancing over at Kaiba through his blonde bangs.

"I'm just that awesome," Kaiba replied with a smug look down at Yami.

Yami rolled his eyes with a scoff before Kaiba leaned over and captured his lips in the softest of kisses. It was bittersweet for Yami, but he allowed it. After parting, they rested their foreheads against each other for a brief moment. Kaiba was the first to pull away and he cradled Yami's cheek with his hand. Yami leaned into the caress, although he still felt uneasy over the whole thing. "We need to talk," Yami said, finally shattering the silence. There were too many things that needed to be addressed, but Yami doubted he would get any straightforward answers from Kaiba.

"I'll answer your questions if you answer mine," Kaiba suggested, having a few of his own that were troubling him. It wasn't an ideal solution, but there was no other immediate option available to find out what he needed to know. "Within reason, of course."

It was an unexpected invitation and Yami agreed, "Fine. What did Jounouchi do to you?"

"Shouted a lot of nonsense before getting himself banned," Kaiba answered, smirking cruelly at the memory. "What did he tell you that he did to me?"

"He implied that you…that the two of you…he didn't directly say anything," Yami replied, hating how many times he was tripped up by his embarrassment. "Then again, I didn't really let him say much."

"Apparently he said enough," Kaiba wryly pointed out, although it was obvious that Yami didn't share his humor.

Looking away in shame, Yami muttered, "I'm not proud of that."

"You should be," Kaiba countered with a snort. "It's about time that someone put the mutt in his place."

"So you never…?" Yami tried to ask, but he couldn't bring himself to say it out loud. "I mean, the two of you never…?"

"Not even a kiss," Kaiba confirmed, his gaze softening slightly as he saw Yami's visible relief. It was a momentary lapse before he resumed his normal guarded countenance as he prepared himself to ask what had been bothering him ever since Gozaburo's visit. "Did you meet a man last night?"

"The owner," Yami replied, causing Kaiba to frown deeply in worry. "Who is he to you?"

Although it was a question that Kaiba didn't want to answer, Kaiba knew that he had to in order to find out what he needed to know. "My adoptive father," Kaiba flatly replied, observing as Yami viscerally reaction in shock to the revelation. "What did he say to you?"

Yami didn't even hear the question; he was still stunned by the fact that Gozaburo was actually Kaiba's legal guardian. "That sick, twisted bastard is the guy that adopted you?" Yami demanded with a sense of dread. He didn't want it to be true, nor could he process the depravity of such a horrific revelation. Had Gozaburo adopted Kaiba for the sole purpose of forcing him into working at the brothel? The mere thought of it made Yami feel sick and he looked at Kaiba with frantic eyes that silently pleaded for the truth to be a lie.

Kaiba didn't like seeing Yami that upset, but he saw no point in reiterating what he had already stated. "Answer my question," Kaiba quietly prompted, trying to refocus Yami's attentions. "What did he say to you?"

Yami's mind was still reeling with the knowledge and it made it hard to response. "He warned me," Yami finally responded, but his voice was flat and lifeless. There were all sorts of questions that Yami wanted to ask about Gozaburo, but they were too horrible to vocalize; he doubted he get answers anyway. "Did he punish you for not doing anything with Jounouchi?"

"No, the mutt _was_ the punishment," Kaiba replied, although he found it strange himself. That was one of the reasons he was so concerned about what had been said or done to Yami; Gozaburo might have assumed his rival would be a far more effective punishment and Kaiba was starting to fear that he might have been right. Yami was becoming a liability, but Kaiba was inclined to keep him closer to keep him safe; distance made it harder to protect him. "What did he warn you about?"

"That you were his and I should not assume otherwise," Yami finally confessed, looking down at his hands. "And if I didn't remember that, he would…punish you. _Hurt_ you."

Unable to hold back his vehement curse of, "Bastard," Kaiba found a whole new reason to loathe Gozaburo. Even though it was a standard threat from Gozaburo's usual arsenal, it still angered Kaiba. Yami still looked miserable and it bothered Kaiba, largely because he got the sense that something important was still being withheld from him. Forgetting about the game of questions, Kaiba continued asking, "What did he do to you?"

Yami's skin still crawled at the memory of Gozaburo's rough hands on him and he shifted uncomfortably under Kaiba's intense gaze. He didn't want to tell something like that to Kaiba, although Yami wasn't sure why he wanted to keep it hidden so badly. Stubbornly staying silent as he tried to formulate and appropriate way to phrase his thoughts, Yami was unprepared to feel Kaiba's hand on his chin, turned his head to force eye contact. "Tell me what he did to you, Yami," Kaiba implored with a sense of urgency, although his tone was gentle.

"Tried to intimidate me," Yami replied, knowing it wasn't a lie, but it wasn't what Kaiba wanted to hear.

Narrowing his eyes in suspicion, Kaiba could tell that there was something else and it troubled him greatly that Yami was hiding something. "There's more to it than that," Kaiba growled, displeased when Yami pulled away from his touch.

"What are you so worried that he did to me?" Yami countered, just barely meeting Kaiba's gaze.

"That he got physical with you," Kaiba gruffly answered, the words leaving a foul taste in his mouth.

"He didn't hurt me," Yami replied, assuming that was what Kaiba's concern was.

Although Kaiba's first reaction was relief, he realized that something else was being said, something worse in the silence. "What are you trying to hide?" Kaiba demanded, an edge coming into his tone as he started to lose his patience.

"Why do you think I'm hiding something?"

"Because I know what he's like, damn it!" Kaiba exclaimed, resisting the urge to lash out in anger.

Yami was surprised by the passionate outburst and as much as he wanted to keep looking at Kaiba, he lowered his gaze. Taking Kaiba's hand in his own, Yami quietly responded, "Then you already have your answer."

The reply hit Kaiba hard and that cold feeling of dread made his stomach turn. His blood boiled in rage at the thought of Gozaburo touching what was his and Kaiba asked the question he didn't know if he wanted answered, "Did he touch you?"

"He shook my hand—"

"I'm being serious, Yami!" Kaiba interrupted with a hint of anguish; feeling ill over the possibility of what Gozaburo could have possibly done to his rival.

"—and he showed me he knew about my…" Yami continued without interruption, trailing off because he couldn't bring himself to say it out loud. "Like I said, it was a warning."

The extent of Kaiba's outrage surprised even him as he quietly burned, trying to hold back his reaction. "That son of a bitch!" Kaiba hissed, unaware of how he tightened his grip on Yami's hand.

Although Yami was touched by the reaction, it also concerned him. "It wasn't—okay, so it _was_ a little inappropriate, but—"

Kaiba silenced Yami with a fierce kiss, not wanting to hear more and needing to reclaim his rival in some way. It was chaotic in its passion, diverting Yami's attention from thoughts best left alone. It verged on desperate and it was all-consuming as their hands sought each other out, needing some way to ground themselves.

When they parted, Kaiba took great pleasure in Yami's flushed expression and he suggested, "Let's get out of here."

His mind was still muddled and Yami inarticulately asked, "What?"

Standing up and pulling Yami to his feet, Kaiba elaborated with a slight smirk, "I'm suggesting that we spend the rest of the afternoon elsewhere."

"Okay," Yami agreed with a shy smile and not a moment of doubt, following Kaiba inside with a building sense of excitement.

* * *

**A/N:** I think we can all see where this is going…

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Even though it was undoubtedly his own room, it almost felt too surreal to be true; Yami would have believed that it was a dream or a bizarre replica at the brothel before daring to believe that it was actually happening there and then. There was the faintest glint of amusement in Kaiba's eyes as he looked down at Yami, almost as if he knew what his rival was thinking._

I know a lot of you have been waiting for the Kaiba x Yami element of this fic and next weekend will hopefully make everyone happy. I will be attending the Philadelphia Pen Show for three days of glory, but the chapter should still go up later in the evening. Check back in on **Sunday, January 24th** for the seme!Kaiba chapter after I get back from the show!


	20. Chapter 20: Together

**A/N:** This one contains the** Kaiba x Yami lemon** that everyone has been waiting for.

* * *

**Chapter 20: Together  
**

Nervousness had replaced his earlier eagerness as Yami stood in his bedroom with Kaiba. Shedding his wet school uniform jacket, Yami was grateful that his grandfather was gone, probably at some doctor or another for his back. He didn't dwell on it long as he was easily distracted by the sight of Kaiba slowly stripping out of his own jacket.

Yami was entranced by Kaiba's slender fingers nimbly undoing the buttons, blushing when he was caught blatantly admiring the view. Kaiba smirked confidently as he tossed his jacket on top of Yami's before approaching his rival slowly. "Feeling left out?" Kaiba teased.

Growling indignantly, Yami answered by unbuttoning Kaiba's shirt with a defiant look. Kaiba murmured his approval as he returned the favor, eager to move on to better things even as he wanted to savor the moment. They continued stripping each other as kiss melted into kiss, contradictorily becoming gentler as they finally became nude. They took a moment to bask in the sensation of flesh against flesh and Kaiba got an extra thrill at knowing that no one was watching them. This was something that he wanted just for himself and Kaiba wasn't going to let Gozaburo or anyone else take it away from him.

Blindly stumbling over to the small twin size bed, Yami was startled when he fell into a sitting position on it and was confronted by the sight of Kaiba's half-hard member. He wasn't given time to contemplate it as Kaiba gracefully lowered himself onto his knees in front of Yami. It made Yami's heartbeat quicken at the sight, but he said nothing as he continued looking down at Kaiba.

Taking Yami's right hand in his, Kaiba ran his thumb over the back of his knuckles. It bore very little evidence of Yami's assault on Jounouchi, but Kaiba could feel a slight roughness that remained and it excited him. He recognized that he should be pissed off that Yami felt the need to defend him, but there was some part of Kaiba that was inherently pleased that his rival had chosen him over Jounouchi. Even if it wasn't a competition, Kaiba would be damned if he lost it.

Yami's fingers nervously twitched in Kaiba's hold and it brought his mind back to the present moment. Seeing the bruised revenge made something deep inside of Kaiba purr victoriously and he hadn't forgotten his desire to reward Yami for the show of loyalty. Letting his thumb trail from the knuckles down to the tips of his fingers, Kaiba maintained eye contact as he slowly leaned forward and reverently placed a kiss on Yami's hand.

The action caused Yami's breath to hitch as his eyes widened in disbelief, unable to stop watching as Kaiba deliberately placed a kiss on each knuckle. There was a look of smoldering desire in those blue eyes and it ignited Yami's passions, almost consuming him completely as Kaiba smirked up at him with appreciation in those interested blue eyes.

There were no words, nothing he could say even if he had the ability to speak. As it was, all Yami could do was feel and experience the uncharacteristically tender treatment, anything beyond Kaiba in that moment was unimportant. When Kaiba murmured, "Yami," against the back of his hand with another soft kiss, Yami knew that he was lost.

Pulling Kaiba up onto the bed with him, Yami didn't resist as he was guided onto his back. Even though it was undoubtedly his own room, it almost felt too surreal to be true; Yami would have believed that it was a dream or a bizarre replica at the brothel before daring to believe that it was actually happening there and then. There was the faintest glint of amusement in Kaiba's eyes as he looked down at Yami, almost as if he knew what his rival was thinking. Any further thoughts were abandoned as Kaiba started to cover Yami in kisses, rendering his rival incapable of anything except needs and wants.

As cynical as Kaiba had become over the years, the sight of Yami beneath him was something he doubted he'd ever get tired of seeing. To know that he was there willing was immensely gratifying and Kaiba was determined to enjoy himself to the fullest as he pleasured Yami beyond anything he had previously known. They had all afternoon to themselves before Kaiba had to return to the brothel and he was going to make the most of it.

Kaiba loved the way Yami's body instinctively sought him out, the way his hands wandered over any part of him that he could reach. It made him feel powerful to have someone as strong as Yami become so pliable beneath him and Kaiba rewarded him by kissing every part of his rival while teasing him with the lightest of touches.

Yami moved blindly against Kaiba, already painfully hard despite the light foreplay. It was beautiful and simple, but devastating in the amount of pleasure rendered. He wanted to reciprocate, but Kaiba had already moved down, shifting his attention to the mark that was already starting to fade. Kaiba's ego had made him think that such a small detail would go unnoticed, but he had been sorely mistaken. _That asshole must have upgraded the damn system again_, he off-handedly commented to himself before refocusing his attention. Gozaburo knew about the hickey and Kaiba suspected that he probably had been bold enough to touch Yami there as well; it angered Kaiba, but he tried not to let it get to him.

Obliterating Gozaburo's touch with his own, Kaiba worshipped the mark with lips, teeth, and tongue, teasing it with his fingers until Yami was writhing beneath him with the softest whimper of need. When Kaiba moaned, "Yami," against the mark, he relished the noise it earned him, amazed at how such a simple thing could cause such great pleasure. Only once he was satisfied did Kaiba move on, coming back up for another round of kisses as he teasingly slid his hand between Yami's thighs to further arouse him.

It was almost too much for Yami and strangely not enough. In the breathiest of whispers, Yami started, "_Please_, Kai—"

Cutting him off with an abrupt kiss, Kaiba sharply ordered, "Not that name. Not here."

Realization dawned in crimson as Yami connected the shared last name between the adoptive family and he completely understood the wrongness of it. "Seto?" Yami hesitantly tried.

"I'll have you shouting it by the time we're done," Kaiba confidently predicted by way of permission.

The promise sent a shudder of lust through Yami and he bucked hard into Kaiba's teasing touch that had finally moved to his cock. Scattered fragments of words escaped through gasps, little mewls of frustration as he yearned for something more substantial than the ghosting sensations that were driving him crazy.

Kaiba observed it with great amusement and he murmured next to Yami's ear, "Tell me what you want."

"_More_," Yami gasped, although even that simple thought took a monumental effort in his current worked up state.

"That's not very specific," Kaiba taunted, thrilled at the defiant annoyance that flickered in Yami's ever expressive scarlet eyes.

Making a discontented growl low in his throat that amused Kaiba, he took pity on Yami as he started to slowly slide his way down the lithe body. Languidly licking from base to tip, Kaiba questioned, "Perhaps this?"

"Anything, yes, please," Yami breathlessly babbled, not caring so long as it meant experiencing more of Kaiba.

Just as Kaiba was about to proceed, the sound of a vibrating phone caught his attention and he seized upon the opportunity. "You should probably answer that," Kaiba told Yami as he straightened up to a sitting position.

It took a moment to process the buzzing noise as his phone and Yami aggressively muttered, "Fuck it, don't care right now."

"It could be important," Kaiba pointed out, smirking at the angry look it earned him; there was just something so entertaining about getting his rival worked up, regardless of the manner in which it was done.

Swearing under his breath, Yami got up and stalked over to his bag, scrambling to find it. Seeing that it was Yuugi, Yami took a deep breath before answering with a curt, "Yes?"

Taking advantage of Yami's back to him, Kaiba procured a small bottle of lube and a condom that he hid it in the wrinkles of bed sheets before admiring the lithe lines of his rival's body. He only marginally paid attention to the terse phone conversation going on and Kaiba impishly started to stroke himself slowly when he realized he had caught Yami's notice. Yami immediately stumbled in his words and Kaiba quietly laughed to himself at the reaction, hoping it would speed up the phone call; they had better things to do than waste time that way.

"No, I don't give a shit what he thinks and I need to go," Yami told Yuugi with a heavy sigh, pointedly ignoring Kaiba; he couldn't afford to let himself get further distracted. "Look, I'll see you later tonight, okay? Thanks."

Yami hung up with an irritated noise before tossing his phone onto his nightstand in disgust. He knew that his absence would have been noticed, but he hadn't expected Yuugi to notice that Kaiba was missing, too; the report of Jounouchi's reaction was also a source of aggravation. It was tiresome to have Jounouchi continually trying to interfere in something that was none of his damn business in the first place.

Taking Yami's hand in his, Kaiba guided him back onto the bed with the offer, "Let me make it better."

"I'm tired of his shit," Yami complained, even as he allowed Kaiba to do as he pleased.

"You and me both," Kaiba agreed, "but I hardly think he's worth worrying about right now, ne?"

Yami's response was los t in a moan as Kaiba licked his rigid arousal to refocus his attention. Pleased with the result, Kaiba took Yami completely into his mouth, starting off at a slow pace to help build the pleasure. All thoughts of Jounouchi were chased out of Yami's head as his every sense was replaced by Kaiba; he only had to feel and there was nothing else beyond them that could interfere in that moment.

When Kaiba realized that Yami was sufficiently distracted, he blindly reached for the bottle he had abandoned earlier. Moaning around the arousal interned in his mouth to cover the sound of the cap flipping open before slicking his fingers with the contents. Fervently hoping that Yami wouldn't reject him, Kaiba swallowed around his erection while sliding a finger into his entrance.

Yami's hips jerked in response, but Kaiba instinctually compensated for the involuntary movement. In his haze, it was hard to tell what was wrong, but Yami tried to voice his concern, "What…?"

Releasing his rival from his mouth, Kaiba's voice was rough as he questioned, "Do you trust me?"

The intensity in Kaiba's eyes was breathtaking and sparked something deep inside of Yami; there was an almost primal reaction to the way he licked his lips as he waited for an answer. Although it was something that Yami had never explicitly asked himself, he still found himself answering with little hesitation, "Yes."

"Good," Kaiba replied with a quirk of his lips before resuming his prior attentions.

Yami's head banged back against his pillow as he gasped loudly at the enthusiastic pick up in pace as Kaiba continued. Although he was entranced by the sight, it took too much effort to keep his eyes open; it was damn near overwhelming and Yami didn't know how much longer he would be able to hold out before it was over.

Feeling that Yami had once again given in to the experience, Kaiba began moving his finger inside to the rhythm of his motions. Satisfied that he could work another one in, Kaiba did just that before stilling his fingers once more, hearing the confused sound it drew from Yami. Making a comforting murmur sound that caused Yami to almost lose it then and there, Kaiba repeated his pattern of matching the pace of his fingers with his blow job.

It felt great and weird all at the same time and Yami finally gathered the wherewithal to ask, "What?"

Rather than responding verbally, Kaiba curled his fingers slightly to apply pressure to the small bundle of nerves that made Yami cum before he even realized what had happened. Obediently swallowing it all with a smirk, Kaiba looked smug as he regarded Yami's flushed expression and confusion. "I told you I wanted to make you feel better," Kaiba replied, a hint of arrogance in his voice as he slowly moved his fingers inside of Yami to prove his point.

Without the distraction of Kaiba's mouth, Yami could clearly differentiate the experiences and he shifted awkwardly at the slow stretching inside of him. "Yeah, but—"

Interrupting Yami by manipulating the same spot again, Kaiba felt his own member twitch in anticipation as his rival's body instinctively moved against his fingers, trying to draw him in deeper. "Does it feel bad?"

"No, but—"

"Then don't worry about it," Kaiba murmured as he ceaselessly prepared Yami for what was to come.

Yami was inclined to do as he was told, but he had a momentary doubt when a third finger was added and he felt a hint of pain. Feeling Yami tense up around him, Kaiba ceased moving as he tried to reassure his body through calming touches and a flurry of distracting kisses. "I'm not sure about this," Yami quietly said, feeling uncomfortable with the new experience and yet aching for something more that he didn't even know how to verbalize.

"Do you want me to stop?" Kaiba asked, still moving his fingers in an attempt to convince Yami's body. He could only hope Yami didn't ask him to stop, because he was so damn close to his goal and fingers just weren't going to cut it.

Taking a moment before answering, Yami tried to concentrate on the feeling, knowing despite his inexperience what Kaiba was preparing him for; he had done enough research to make him blush, so he knew what was next. "I don't know," Yami faintly replied, even as his hips betrayed him by matching Kaiba's rhythm. It was too much and not enough; Yami felt just on the edge of something and his natural curiosity wanted to know what was just beyond him.

"What are you afraid of?" Kaiba asked in a soft voice, brushing against the spot just enough for the sensation to register as pleasant, to show him there was no reason to fear it.

"I'm not afraid," Yami muttered with an indignant glare at the ceiling. It was just intimidating on some levels; even though he knew Kaiba would probably make him feel incredible, it was weird giving up the control he always had. Then again, how much of his control was an illusion that Kaiba allowed him to possess? It was a troublesome thought that Yami pushed aside, trying to find it within himself to give Kaiba an answer.

It was more of an admission than Kaiba was actually expecting to receive, so it was a pleasant surprise. "Then?" he pressed, subtly stretching his fingers apart to test his progress.

Despite being such a simple question, it required more complex thoughts than Yami was capable of with Kaiba slowly working him, distracting him past the point of reason. There were too many thoughts slipping through his attention and his prolonged silence made Kaiba offer, "I'll stop whenever you want, Yami. I'm not trying to make you do something you don't want to do."

That was part of the problem; Yami wasn't entirely sure he didn't want to actually do something with Kaiba. He had been considering how different it would be with Kaiba if they weren't in the brothel and he was so close to finding out; it was the small push that Yami needed to give in and he whispered, "Okay," and flushed a deep scarlet that complimented his eyes.

Although Kaiba had expected to feel victorious, there was no such dominating response to the permission he had been waiting for since they had started meeting. Instead of responding, Kaiba withdrew his fingers slowly, unable to hold back a small smirk when Yami made the softest sound of distress over the sudden feeling of emptiness. Sliding on a condom and dispensing more lube over it, Kaiba had to calm his own building sense of excitement; he would never forgive himself if it was over before it began.

Slowly easing his way into Yami's body, Kaiba stopped the instant he felt the muscles beneath him tense at the intrusion. "Relax," Kaiba coached him, impatient for instant gratification and yet knowing it was Yami's first time.

Yami's initial reaction was, "That's easy for you to say," until he realized it actually _was_. Rather than saying anything, Yami tried focusing on his breathing and relaxing his muscles. It was a tedious process that occurred in several attempts, but Kaiba was finally fully sheathed in Yami and all the happier for it.

Kissing Yami's neck in reassurance, Kaiba trembled with the effort it took to remain still, amazed by the tight warmth that he never wanted another to experience; he had so little to call his own that he was bound to be possessive of the few things—regardless if he had never expected his rival to become one of them. As much as he wanted to proceed, Kaiba waited for Yami to adjust, knowing that he needed that time. Still, it was sheer hell every time Yami subtly adjusted himself around Kaiba, but he ignored his body's desire to thrust in response.

If Yami hadn't been so engrossed in the experience, he would have been touched by Kaiba's consideration of his body. As it was, Yami could only focus on how full he felt, how close he felt to Kaiba in that moment. His hands shyly sought out Kaiba, grounding himself amongst the bombardment of multiple sensations. It hurt, but more in an awkward way rather than a painful one; Kaiba had taken great care not to push him further than he could tolerate. In a weird way, it made Yami feel guilty for just plunging into Kaiba without taking any of the same consideration, but that led him down a darker path he didn't want to think about in such an intense moment.

Once Yami was over the initial shock of having someone buried so intimately within him, he found himself experimentally testing with the shallowest movements if it hurt or not to do anything else. When he was convinced they could continue, Yami said, "Seto," in the breathiest of whispers and was shocked when Kaiba's hips instinctively jerked in response, driving him deeper still.

Kaiba hadn't meant to react as he had, but the sound of his name in such a seductive tone affected him on a more primitive level than he had previously thought possible. An uncharacteristic apology was on the tip of his tongue when Kaiba felt Yami's body move in response and it made his decision for him.

Starting off slow and shallow, Kaiba grasped Yami's hips as he tested the limitations of how much pleasure could be endured. At first Yami was distracted by the awkward sensation, wondering how Kaiba could find so much enjoyment out of their couplings. However, when Kaiba canted Yami's hips and started thrusting deeper at a quickened pace, he got his answer. Exclaiming a surprised obscenity that made Kaiba chuckle, Yami groaned at the feeling as His body shuddered in response. When the sensation was repeated, Yami desperately grasped at Kaiba's shoulders as he whimpered at the overload of pleasure.

Kissing Yami with a cocky laugh, Kaiba murmured his delight in the reaction against his rival's sensitive neck. "Do you have any idea how long I've wanted this?" Kaiba questioned as he continued his easy rhythm.

It took a moment for the question to process in Yami's mind, but he still had enough wherewithal to tease, "Since I first beat you on a test?"

"Third time," Kaiba corrected him with a smug noise as he changed angles.

"Seriously?" Yami laughed, although he somehow wasn't surprised.

"Mm," Kaiba confirmed as he deliberately thrust with each one of his points, "first time I figured it was pity on your language skills, second surely must have been a fluke, and the third was infuriating enough to capture my attention."

"So because I was infuriating," Yami tried to reason, breaking off with a groan when Kaiba hit something new within him that made him squirm, "you wanted to…do this with me?"

"And so much more," Kaiba replied with a wicked smirk that sent shivers of lust through Yami at the promise of such things.

When Yami started to speak again, Kaiba interrupted him with an insistent kiss to distract him. It worked and rendered Yami incapable of speech for the immediate moment. Yami gave up on words completely and just surrendered himself to the experience, wrapping his legs around Kaiba's waist on instinct. The move pleased Kaiba and he took the opportunity to readjust their positions to maximize the sensations for them both.

Yami's eyes slid close against his will; as much as he wanted to continue watching Kaiba, it was just too much to handle. Everything was a haze of pleasure and it was getting harder to maintain his grip on anything other than the feeling of Kaiba inside of him, bringing Yami closer to an edge of pleasure that he had never crossed before. His body was moving on its own accord, thrusting hard to meet Kaiba's demanding pace, but it still wasn't enough for Yami.

As much as Kaiba enjoyed seeing Yami blissed out beneath him, he wanted more than that from his rival. Shifting his balance, Kaiba freed himself to reach between them and start tentatively stroking Yami's rigid length. It successfully refocused Yami's attention and his eyes snapped open as he wordlessly cried out in surprise. The feeling of Yami's muscles clamping around him tightly was damn near divine in pleasure, but Kaiba still wasn't satisfied. "Aren't you forgetting something?" Kaiba prompted him, slowly stroking Yami at a torturous pace.

When Kaiba started to slow down the pace entirely, Yami growled discontentedly in his throat as he tried to force them back to the same movements to no avail. "No," Yami whined in denial, thrashing a bit as Kaiba started to pull all the way out to the tip before sliding all the way back in at an agonizingly slow rate.

Burying himself to the hilt inside once more, Kaiba leaned forward and commanded, "Say my name, Yami," as he rubbed his thumb teasingly over the swollen head of his rival's cock.

They were far past the point of shame or denial and Yami obeyed without thought, moaning, "Seto," over and over again as Kaiba resumed a harsher pace that was as rewarding as it was punishing. Yami was reduced to affirmations of pleasure and fragmented gasps of Kaiba's name, his hands frantically moving along any part of heated flesh he could reach before finally entangling in brunette hair.

It only served as encouragement for Kaiba and he reveled in the feeling of Yami holding onto him as if he were the only thing that mattered in that shared moment. His movements started to become erratic as he neared his peak and Kaiba started to stroke Yami faster to ensure that he came first.

As much as Yami wanted the experience to last, he gave in to his body's desires and came with a loud cry of, "Seto," as he did so. Thoroughly satisfied, Kaiba allowed himself to follow shortly afterward, thrusting until he was completely spent before stilling finally. Yami's hands slid from Kaiba's hair to embrace him fully and the teen didn't pull away from the contact that was more intimate to him in some ways than the act they had just performed. Kissing Yami gently in response, Kaiba withdrew and settled himself against his satiated rival.

Sighing in contentment, Yami closed his eyes and nuzzled against Kaiba. He felt beyond good and as if nothing could trouble him. They said nothing as they rested, merely basking in their afterglow. After a near sleepless night, Yami felt himself drifting in his exhaustion, but he tried to fight it. However, it was a losing battle and Yami slipped into slumber even as he struggled to stay awake for just another moment longer.

Kaiba could hear the evening of Yami's breath as he fell into a light doze and he allowed himself a small smile that was still a bit smug. Although he should have been disappointed at Yami's lack of endurance, Kaiba knew that it was probably just the extenuating circumstances. Propping himself up on his elbow to look down at Yami without disturbing him, Kaiba brushed a stray blonde bang out of his face. Yami looked at peace, the faintest trace of a smile on his face while he slept. Kaiba felt incredibly satisfied with himself and he allowed himself to dwell in the rare moment of genuine pleasure.

He lingered in the moment as long as he would allow himself before he did the conscientious thing and got out of bed to head to the bathroom. Taking care of himself first, Kaiba returned to the bedroom with a warm washcloth to tend to Yami. Although Yami flinched in his sleep with a soft groan of protest, he didn't wake up as Kaiba gently wiped his stomach clean. When Kaiba moved the cloth lower, he was amused by the way Yami's body instinctively arched into the touch, but he did nothing more than clean off the remaining lube.

Deciding that Yami was as clean as he was going to get without an actual shower, Kaiba cast aside the washcloth and debated what to do next. There was no reason for him to return to school and going to the brothel so early would only alert Gozaburo to what had transpired. Yami's home was actually closer to Kaiba Corporation than the school, so he didn't see any harm in staying until school was dismissed for the day. Since Yami was already asleep and Kaiba didn't feel like doing his homework just yet, he decided that he might as well capitalize on the opportunity to get some extra rest himself.

Retrieving his phone from his bag, Kaiba set the alarm on it and placed it on the nightstand. Only then did Kaiba pull back the blankets from underneath Yami and get back into bed. Sliding closer to Yami and wrapping an arm around him, Kaiba was fascinated by the way his rival relaxed against him. Readjusting their position slightly, Kaiba kissed the side of Yami's neck causing the slumbering teen made a soft sound of happiness in response.

For a time Kaiba just lay there, cataloguing the experience of being pressed so close to another without any expectations or demands that needed to be met. It was surprisingly comfortable despite the small bed and eventually Kaiba followed Yami into sleep.

* * *

**A/N:** First off, I apologize for the delay and thank you for your patience with this chapter. I had an unexpected schedule conflict and I feel that it's as good a time as any to remind everyone of a few things:

1. If there's a delay in the chapter posting, please **check my livejournal**. I make announcements on it regarding the reason for the delay and how long I expect it to be. Usually there's also an accompanying preview to tide you over in the interim.

2. If you ask me questions in an anonymous review, I cannot answer your question unless you **leave your email address**. I don't reply to reviews in my author's notes, so that's the only way you're going to get a response if you don't have an account that I can reply to. I reply to all of my reviews, so long as there is some form of contact method possible.

3. For those of you that checked in with concerned inquires, I really did appreciate the encouragement and understanding, although I felt terrible for worrying you. As to the small, select group of people who rather rudely made their displeasure known over my delay through PMs and whatnot, while I understand it's coming from your eagerness over the fic, please recognize that **your anger changes nothing**. It's not going to magically make me update the minute I read your ticked off tired, nor is it going to make me post multiple chapters to "make up for my failure." I already feel terrible for the delay as it is, but that sort of attitude just irritates me. I pride myself in keeping up with weekly, high quality postings despite my insane schedule of graduate school, commuting, and working and often times I sacrifice what little sleep I can get just to make sure that these chapters are posted for your enjoyment. I do it because I know how many of you truly appreciate my writing and sometimes that's all that keeps me going when it's crazy like this. So if you want to bash me for missing _a single week_ when I have enough personal stuff going on and real life responsibilities, I challenge you to find another author who works over 40 hours a week, goes to graduate school for 16 hours a week, commutes for over 19 hours every week, reads almost 2,000 pages a week for class, writes 20 pages a week for class, sleeps _less than eight hours total_ during the work week, and STILL manages to make consistent weekly fanfic postings that are as long and of a quality such as mine—otherwise, keep those kinds of complaints to yourself, because I'm not interested in getting bitched out for being such a fuck up writer and a horrible person who dared to make you wait more than seven days to read what happens next. With as much as I have going on in my life, I could post at the rate of _Anywhen, Anywhere_ and that would be considered normal by any other writer's posting schedule standard, so think about that next time you want to tell me I'm an asshole that ruined your weekend and I should be ashamed of myself and my selfishness over "wasting times with shit that doesn't matter instead of updating your fics."

And that's all I'm going to say about that, save for thank you to the fact that the great majority of you are all so loving, supportive, encouraging, and understanding about what I do and I'm sorry if the above came across as catty or ungrateful, because it was addressed to a very small percentage of people; I was just really shocked at the sudden influx of vitriolic anger in my inbox that's never been there before. I guess that means I've finally made it big? *laughs* Anyway, I realize how spoiled and blessed I am to have readers such as you guys and the fact that you leave so many wonderful reviews to help keep me going. I know it really was horrible to delay on this chapter in particular, but like I said, real life got the best of me. With the start of the new semester, there's some scheduling changes that I'm still trying to get used it was worth the wait.

Anyway, that's enough of that. I really think this chapter speaks for itself and I just love the exchange in the beginning as Kaiba kisses Yami's hand.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Out of all the things that Yuugi had been expecting to see, Kaiba's piercing blue gaze from Yami's bed was not one of them. "Kaiba-kun?" Yuugi whispered in disbelief as he approached._

I was surprised by Yuugi, to say the least.

So check back next weekend on **Sunday, February 7th** for the next chapter! And for those of you that are on my f-list over on my LJ, I've posted an extended 18 page meme with commentary covering every single fic I've ever written, worked on, or planned to write in the future, so go check that out as well if you want some exclusive news.


	21. Chapter 21: Assured

**Chapter 21: Assured**

Something hadn't sounded right about Yami during their brief phone call and it had been bothering Yuugi ever since. He had lasted two more periods before his worries got to be too much and Yuugi cut the rest of school to go home and see what was wrong. Yuugi wasn't ignorant to the fact that the Jounouchi situation was partially responsible, but it felt like something else was going on and he couldn't in good faith ignore his own blood relative.

When Yuugi saw two sets of shoes in the entrance way, he immediately knew that his suspicions that something else was going on were correct. Adding his own to the pair, Yuugi hurried upstairs and paused outside of Yami's room, listening for any sounds to let him know what was happening. Taking a deep breath, Yuugi softly knocked on the door, but there was no answer. He knew that Yami was a deep sleeper and hadn't gotten a lot of rest the previous night, so Yuugi carefully cracked open the door to peek inside the room.

Out of all the things that Yuugi had been expecting to see, Kaiba's piercing blue gaze from Yami's bed was not one of them. "Kaiba-kun?" Yuugi whispered in disbelief as he approached.

Kaiba had been trained to wake at the slightest of disturbances and he had quickly woken up at Yuugi's knock. He had turned over to face the noise, even as it caused Yami to protest at the lack of warmth against his back. Kaiba paid it no mind and stared at Yuugi apathetically, waiting to see what the stunned teen would do next.

"Uhm….hi?" Yuugi greeted uncertainly in a hushed tone of voice, getting a bit flustered when Yami turned over to snuggle closer to Kaiba after he had moved.

To say that Kaiba was startled by the arm that was slung over his waist was an understatement and he was surprised at how hard it was to suppress the urge to chuckle at the sleepy way Yami wordlessly complained about the disturbance. The small kiss on Kaiba's back was the last thing Yami did before stilling once more and it allowed the brunette to refocus his attention on Yuugi.

"He's happy," Yuugi realized, sounding vaguely in awe of the occurrence, even as he blushed in embarrassment at seeing such a thing.

"He's asleep," Kaiba contradicted, quirking an eyebrow at Yuugi's observation.

Smiling as if at his own private joke, Yuugi's expression quickly sobered as he looked back at Kaiba. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about Jounouchi-kun," Yuugi apologized, feeling that it was important.

It completely puzzled Kaiba and he had to ask, "_Why_?"

"Because he did and said some really terrible things to you," Yuugi said, looking at Kaiba with a sadness that made the brunette uncomfortable. "Well…and the rest of us don't feel the same way as him."

"Why are you telling me this?" Kaiba questioned, unsure of what he was supposed to do with the information.

"Because you're my friend," Yuugi replied with a quiet laugh at Kaiba's stunned expression.

"Since when?" Kaiba scoffed, sounding somewhat miffed by the idea.

Yuugi knew better than to try and reason with Kaiba on the point and Yuugi kindly explained, "I just wanted to let you know. I'll see you later, Kaiba-kun."

Making a noise of acknowledgement, Kaiba laid back down after Yuugi left the room. Yami quickly curled up on Kaiba's chest, snuggling closer until he was comfortable. Kaiba wrapped his free arm around Yami's waist and was surprised at how natural it felt. Rather than thinking further on it, Kaiba merely closed his eyes and allowed his mind to drift while Yami continued to slumber.

* * *

Yami came back into awareness slowly, languidly stretching as he burrowed closer to the warmth surrounding him. He felt a bit sore, so he stubbornly clung to the remnants of sleep that were starting to elude him.

Kaiba could sense Yami waking and he encouraged it with teasing touches, causing the shorter teen to groan in protest as he opened his scarlet eyes. "Nn?" Yami hummed through a yawn, his mind still fogged with sleep. His body started responding before his mind was capable of catching up and he luxuriated in Kaiba's sensual petting, gradually becoming aroused and consequently more awake.

"It's 2.37," Kaiba informed Yami in the hopes of speeding up the awakening process.

"Do you have to leave?" Yami asked, unable to hide the note of disappointment in his voice.

"Eventually," Kaiba replied, knowing he still had some time before he had to go to the brothel.

The answer pleased Yami and he straddled himself over Kaiba, boldly kissing him as the last vestiges of sleep fled from his mind. Kaiba allowed it and slid his hands into Yami's tricolor hair to bring him down closer to deepen the kiss. There was something dangerously addictive about his rival and Kaiba couldn't help but indulge himself with Yami. Not only did he allow Yami to take certain liberties he would deny anyone else, but Kaiba even encouraged it. Kaiba's instincts told him that he couldn't continue to do so without some sort of repercussion, but he had already decided that it was worth it—that Yami was worth it.

Eventually Yami moved down and started kissing Kaiba's neck, sending a shiver through the brunette at the unintentionally sensual sensation. He let Yami do as he pleased for a few minutes more before putting a stop to it. There were still a few things that needed to be taken care of before he left and he could only hope that Yami didn't overreact at his request. "Yami," Kaiba said to get the teen's attention. When Yami ceased and sat up once more to look down at Kaiba, only then did he continue, not bothering with the pleasantries of a build up or segue. "I need you to stay away from the brothel for awhile."

Whatever Yami had been expecting Kaiba to say, it hadn't been that. "Is that what this is about?" Yami asked defensively, feeling something twist painfully inside of him at the implication.

"Don't be stupid," Kaiba arrogantly reprimanded, further confounding Yami. "This has nothing to do with that. It never has."

"Then?" Yami prompted, somewhat appeased and yet still distrusting.

" This is because _I_ want it," Kaiba reassured Yami, unaccustomed to doing such things, but recognizing that his rival might feel used over such actions. "Because I want you, Yami. On my terms, _not_ his."

The sincerity of Kaiba's words disarmed Yami's anger, but he was still confused. He was comforted by the way Kaiba was absentmindedly stroking his thigh in silent reassurance, but there was still more to be discussed. "Tell me why," Yami finally requested, waiting until he heard Kaiba's reasoning before jumping to any more conclusions.

"Because the bastard is far too interested in you for any good to come of it," Kaiba answered truthfully. "If you stop coming now, it won't seem suspicious because it'll look like you're too disgusted by the mutt's actions to return."

"No, it'll look like Gozaburo won by successfully intimidating me from coming back," Yami argued, crossing his arms over his chest as he scowled down at Kaiba. "I have to prove that I'm not afraid of him."

"You should be," Kaiba murmured, sending a chill through Yami at the unwavering certainty in his rival's voice. "Look, I'm not saying that you can never come back, but for the time being—"

"I won't let him have that victory," Yami stubbornly refused, not willing to concede the point.

Sighing softly, Kaiba tried to clamp down on his frustration. He could see where Yami was coming from, but Kaiba still needed his cooperation. "Let him think that he has it," Kaiba explained, "and then he'll lose interest in you faster."

"How do you figure?" Yami questioned, failing to understand Kaiba's leap in logic.

"Because if he thinks you were scared off so easily, you aren't worth his attention," Kaiba clarified. "Even if you come back afterward, he'll think you're weak willed, but—"

"That's horrible!" Yami protested, completely indignant over Kaiba's casual way of addressing the subject.

"It's better than the alternative!" Kaiba snapped, losing some of his composure in his anger.

The word, "alternative," reminded Yami of Gozaburo's proposal for an, "alternative solution," by employing him at the brothel and it quieted his immediate reaction. "It's not like I would do that," Yami muttered, his cheeks heating up in his embarrassment, mistakenly assuming that Gozaburo had told Kaiba about the proposal.

"Is that so?" Kaiba questioned, feeling like he missed something vital, but not wanting to reveal his ignorance in the hopes of gaining more knowledge.

"It's not like he can force me to work there," Yami heatedly argued, still horribly embarrassed.

The information hit Kaiba with a sickening sensation and he struggled to maintain his composure, but failed to hide the anger as he demanded, "What the hell are you talking about?" Kaiba was getting a horrible feeling, remembering a conversation with Gozaburo where he suggested the idea of employing Yami at the brothel and so much more.

Realizing that he had said too much, Yami tried to play it off, "Nothing—"

"You don't just get to say something like that and then act like it's nothing, damn it!" Kaiba sharply told Yami, some of his control slipping.

"It's never going to happen, so what difference does it make?" Yami shot back, feeling increasingly uncomfortable under Kaiba's gaze.

Sitting up to face Yami properly, Kaiba's voice was terse as he asked, "Are you trying to tell me that he offered you a job at Kaiba Corp?" When Yami tried to look away, Kaiba prevented him from doing so. "Answer me!"

Yami couldn't bring himself to answer directly, so he settled for, "I told him no."

A burst of chaotic emotions flashed through Kaiba at the revelation and he struggled to not visibly react. _Does that bastard's depravity know no bounds?_ Kaiba bitterly wondered. "And you have to ask me why I don't want you around him?"

There was no defense that Yami could offer, but he still felt the need to defend himself all the same. "I still think it's a mistake to avoid him," Yami muttered, shifting awkwardly on top of Kaiba.

"Promise me," Kaiba demanded, unwilling to relent.

"For how long?" Yami finally asked with a sense of defeat in his voice as he sighed.

"A month?" Kaiba guessed, unsure of how long it would take for Gozaburo to lose interest. "Maybe more, I don't know."

Yami's scowl deepened and he tried not to get more upset by the request; even though he could view it as Kaiba's concern for him, it was still frustrating. "And when will you know?"

"I'll tell you," Kaiba replied, trusting that he knew his adoptive father well enough to see the signs.

"I don't like it."

"I don't need you to like it, I just need you to promise," Kaiba flatly told Yami.

Leaning forward and resting his head on Kaiba's shoulder, Yami sighed heavily as he closed his eyes. "I hate him," Yami muttered, overcome by the despair of what Gozaburo forced Kaiba to do.

Wrapping his arms around Yami, Kaiba held him tightly and tried not to get too bothered by the way that his rival was trembling. "You and everyone else," Kaiba replied with bitter mirth.

"Just…don't make me wait too long, okay?" Yami hesitantly agreed, berating himself for it all the same—especially since part of him was relieved that he wouldn't have to deal with Gozaburo any more than he already had.

"Thank you," Kaiba murmured as he kissed the side of Yami's neck softly in appreciation. He hated asking it of Yami, especially since he was essentially punishing himself as well, but it had to be done to keep his rival safe from Gozaburo.

Yami didn't immediately move and instead he shyly looked away as he mumbled, "I don't want to stop seeing you, though."

Running the back of his fingers along the accompanying blush, Kaiba pointed out, "I never said anything about that, did I?"

"But we can't cut school all the time," Yami pointed out, not seeing how else it would be feasible.

Kissing Yami tenderly with some amount of bittersweetness, Kaiba said, "I'll take care of it."

"How?"

"I have my ways," Kaiba teased with another kiss before taking the opportunity to roll Yami back onto the bed. It freed him to get up and Yami made a disgruntled noise that made Kaiba smirk as he walked over to his clothes.

Yami watched with apathetic eyes, even as he derived pleasure from the mere sight of Kaiba's body. "Do you work every day?" Yami asked, rather than acknowledging what Kaiba had said. It gave him a sense of hope that he wasn't sure he should trust.

Glancing over his shoulder at Yami as he slid on his underwear, Kaiba replied, "I'm there every day, but I only work when someone shows up that requests me."

"Oh," was all Yami could say, unsure of what else to say to fill the silence.

When Kaiba was completely dressed, he walked back over to Yami and sat down on the bed. "It's not a permanent thing, Yami," Kaiba told him seriously, not all that sure why he was telling his rival such a thing.

"You working there or me not being allowed to go see you?" Yami questioned somewhat petulantly, pouting in his emotional state.

"Both," Kaiba replied, meaning it more than Yami could ever know. He was determined to be free of Gozaburo's control, but he still needed more time before his plans could be put into action.

Yami started to respond, but his words failed him He didn't realize that his eyes were silently pleading with Kaiba for something more to hold onto, but the brunette could see it just below the surface. Kissing Yami goodbye, Kaiba rewarded Yami for his confession by admitting, "I wouldn't risk everything if I didn't think this was worth it."

Yami's eyes went wide in disbelief at what Kaiba had just professed and he found it a little hard to breathe at the look of genuine emotion in those normally reserved blue eyes. "Seto…" Yami whispered, but there was nothing else he could say.

It didn't matter how Yami said his name; Kaiba never got tired of hearing it. "I'll see you tomorrow," Kaiba said in farewell, not the least bit surprised when Yami stole one more kiss.

Yami knew that he should walk Kaiba out, but he could only silently watch and listen to his rival leave. His head was a mess, torn between being despondent over knowing where Kaiba was heading and what he had to do, but at the same time the confessions stirred something deep inside of him. Even though it was complicated, Yami tried to focus on the warmth the sincerity brought as he laid down again. He knew that he should probably get up and take a shower, but it was so much easier to let sleep take him once more.

* * *

**A/N:** First of all, thank you a million times over to all of my wonderful readers for your kind responses and reassurances! It means more than I could ever express to hear your support like that and it was wonderful getting the chance to hear from some new people as well. The reviews really are what keep a writer motivated and I sincerely appreciate it.

I write these fics because it's my way of unwinding, but every once in awhile, things get backed up and I can't work on them as much as I want. But more than that, I do it because I enjoy it and because I know all of you out there appreciate it, which is enough to make me want to continue doing this even at my crazy pace.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_I'm not going anywhere with you," Yami spat, refusing to take his eyes off of Gozaburo for a second for fear of what he might do in that single moment._

_Leaning forward and whispering, "I'll make it worth your while," in a sensuous rumble in Yami's ear, he chuckled when it made the teen shudder in response._

Given that next week's posting will fall on Valentine's Day, I'd like to try and post something a little more appropriate than what the next chapter of _Forbidden_ will be. I'm not promising that _Anywhen, Anywhere_ will get an update, but it's up for consideration given the romance factor. Otherwise, I will try for an unrelated oneshot or just post the next chapter. Regardless of what goes up, check back on **Sunday, February 14th**, to see the next update!


	22. Chapter 22: Persuasion

**Chapter 22: Persuasion**

It had been almost three weeks since the incident at Kaiba Corporation with Jounouchi and everything had fallen back into a natural rhythm. Things between Yami and Jounouchi had improved marginally; now they treated each other with an icy civility rather than outright contempt. It didn't help that Yami was spending more of his free time with Kaiba, completely abandoning the lunch group to steal away what little alone time he could with his rival. Yami couldn't help but feel like they were doing everything in reverse—first the rivalry, then the sex, followed by the burgeoning relationship, and ultimately by the friendship. Although they were growing to a new understanding about each other, they were still quick to engage in competition with each other; some things just never changed, after all.

It was hard for them to meet up as they once had without the freedom of the brothel, but Kaiba was disturbingly good at finding opportunities to capitalize on to make it happen. Faking an injury in gym and convincing the teacher that he needed Yami's assistance to get to the medical treatment led to thrilling sex in the locker room, followed up by another round in the nurse's office when she left for a phone call. A group project in their history class was rather fortuitous in both of their opinions; Kaiba told Gozaburo he was using it as an opportunity to try and convince his wayward patron to return to the brothel and Yami made the most out of their stolen moments, tempering his enjoyment only enough so as not to alert his grandfather and Yuugi about what they were really doing behind his closed door.

It gave a new meaning to their joining and Yami recognized that he was in danger of falling even deeper into Kaiba without the sterility of the brothel walls to enforce professional distance between them. He didn't know what they were becoming, but Yami realized that things were changing forever between them, even when he did return to the brothel eventually. Being filled by Kaiba, filling Kaiba, it was all utterly intoxicating to Yami and it was never enough, despite being grateful for the time they could find for each other.

In hindsight, Yami knew he should have realized that things were going too smoothly to continue as they were. However, he took it for granted and enjoyed it for what it was, expecting a problem from Jounouchi if no one else. Their feud had nearly reignited the first time Yami slipped and called Kaiba, "Seto," in front of Jounouchi; Yami didn't know which was worse, the way his so-called friend blew up at him or the way that Anzu giggled knowingly over it.

It had been a Wednesday like any other, filled with the relief of being dismissed from school for the day. Yami and Yuugi had promised their grandfather to get home as soon as possible so that he could meet up with Arthur while they watched the store, so it was for that reason that Kaiba didn't accompany his rival on their way to the subway as he normally did. Although it was a bit of a disappointment for Yami, he distracted himself by talking to Yuugi as they left the school.

Oblivious to the rest of the world, it came as a surprise to hear someone call out, "Yami," and he immediately wished he had ignored it rather than turning around to find the source. Gozaburo had exited his limo and shut the door, causing Yami to jump despite his attempts at remaining visibly unaffected by the man's presence. Gozaburo looked unbearably smug as he leaned against the limo, his eyes assessing Yami in a way that made the teen's flesh crawl uncomfortably in memory of their last meeting.

Exchanging glances between Yami and the stranger, Yuugi worriedly asked, "Who is he?"

"The better question is why he has never brought you to see me," Gozaburo smoothly countered, sparking an indignant rage in Yami.

Standing between Yuugi and Gozaburo as if that somehow made a difference, Yami warned, "Leave him out of this."

"Come with me and I'll consider it," Gozaburo offered as he walked over to the teen with a confidence that was making Yami feel entirely too uncomfortable.

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Yami spat, refusing to take his eyes off of Gozaburo for a second for fear of what he might do in that single moment.

Leaning forward and whispering, "I'll make it worth your while," in a sensuous rumble in Yami's ear, he chuckled when it made the teen shudder in response.

As much as he wanted to refuse Gozaburo, Yami was afraid of what would happen if he did. "I'm not interested in that," Yami snapped, vainly trying to hold his own and wondering where Kaiba was.

"Are you certain?" Gozaburo questioned, sounding as if he believed anything but. "It would not be in your best interests to decline my generous invitation, Yami."

Feeling trapped in more ways than one, Yami could see no other option other than to agree, "Fine, but only so you leave him alone," as he pointed at Yuugi.

"Oh, I'm quite confident that he's not the only reason you're agreeing," Gozaburo stated with an ominous chuckle that set Yami's nerves further on the edge. Stepping aside and opening the limo door, Gozaburo chivalrously gestured for Yami to get inside first.

Hesitating for a moment, Yami looked back at Yuugi and said, "I'll see you later."

"Where are you going?" Yuugi asked, some of his fear betraying itself. He didn't know who the imposing gentleman was, but there was something about him that made Yuugi increasingly nervous, especially knowing that Yami was about to go somewhere with him.

"Don't worry about it," Yami said with what he hoped was a reassuring smile before walking over to the waiting door. Sliding into the car even as Yuugi continued protesting, Yami tried to clamp down on his panic when Gozaburo got in after him and slammed the door behind them.

* * *

Kaiba's irritation at being waylaid by one of his teachers at the main entrance was reaching a dangerous level, especially once he saw his adopted father's limousine pull up to collect him. He was only half paying attention to whatever nonsense the woman was prattling at him, too distracted by the fact that Gozaburo himself got out of the car rather than one of his numerous employees that he regularly sent to collect Kaiba.

His view of who Gozaburo was talking to was obscured by the entrance gate, but Kaiba continued keeping one eye on the man even as he tried to break free of the conversation by informing the woman he had to leave. It still wasn't enough to get him free fast enough; he saw all too late as Yami got into the limousine and Kaiba swore out loud in frustration as he tried to made his way through the slow moving throng of students that were blocking his every step.

He was close enough to see Gozaburo's lecherous wink aimed in his direction before the man got into the car after Yami and Kaiba felt a growing sense of dread that no good could come from such events. The limo was already pulling away by the time Kaiba reached Yuugi, who was staring after the car in shock, wondering what the hell had just happened. Before he could let out another curse, a different limousine pulled up and Ishi stepped out with a worried look.

Not bothering to address Yuugi, Kaiba turned to her and said, "The bastard took Yami."

"That was his sole intention," she softly confirmed, a furrow in her sculpted eyebrows alerting Kaiba to just how disturbed she was by her orders. "He sent me to come pick you up and..."

It took him a moment to realize why the woman had trailed off and he followed her eyeline to see Yuugi looking at the two of them in confusion. "Kaiba-kun, who was that and what did he want with Yami? Is Yami going to be okay?" Yuugi asked in a fluster of hurried and concerned words.

"He'll be fine, I'll take care of it," Kaiba tersely told Yuugi, unaware of how his hands were tightly clenched into fists as he tried to control his rage.

"Seto-sama, we really must leave," Ishi reminded him, even though she hated saying those words. She could only imagine what sort of plans Gozaburo was making and it worried her on multiples levels.

"Yami will be home in a few hours," Kaiba told Yuugi, "but in the meantime, don't breathe a word about this to anyone, got it?"

Nodding sullenly, Yuugi felt that he had no choice but to agree; it was clear that Kaiba wasn't willing to give him any concrete answers. It was all the further Kaiba was willing to discuss it with Yuugi and he gave a curt nod of dismissal before getting into the car, followed closely by Ishi.

Quickly putting Yuugi out of his thoughts, he looked at Ishi who was staring down at her folded hands in her lap. She was toying with one of her rings out of nervousness and he prompted her with a feeling of dead, "What else?"

"He wants you to be ready in Room Four for when he's…uhm, _finished_ with Yami-sama," Ishi quietly relayed to Kaiba, the words leaving a bad taste in her mouth. She knew how much Kaiba disliked that room in particular and it always served as a punishment to both him and her as well since she had to assist him.

Resting his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands together, Kaiba leaned forward as he tried to assess the situation. Gozaburo had taken Yami presumably to bring him to the brothel, but he couldn't see his rival enjoying that theme room in particular, so it was confusing. But more importantly than that, "What do you mean by, 'finished,' with him, Ishi?"

"Hopefully not whatever you're thinking," she replied, but she refused to commit to anything beyond that. Gozaburo was a domineering man in many respects and she could only pray that his interests in Yami didn't carry through to such an extreme level.

"I shouldn't be surprised," Kaiba muttered in a weary voice. He knew that it had been going too well for too long with so little interference from his overbearing adoptive father. "I should have fucking seen this coming,"

"Maybe he's trying to give Yami-sama the VIP treatment to convince him to return to Kaiba Corporation?" Ishi suggested, but she had little faith in her own idea.

"Even our VIPs don't get that kind of treatment and you damn well know it," Kaiba bitterly argued, unable to stop himself from lashing out despite knowing she was just trying to find any positive element in the situation. "He's got ulterior motives and I don't—"

When Kaiba abruptly cut himself off, Ishi nodded her understanding of things best left unspoken. The odds that the car was bugged for later monitoring were too high to hold a comfortable conversation and Kaiba wasn't going to further incriminate either one of them, let alone give Gozaburo ideas on how best to hurt him through Yami. "Damn it," was the only thing he could whisper as he closed his eyes, as if that would somehow magically shut out the world and the problems within it.

* * *

To say that Yami felt uncomfortable in such close quarters with Gozaburo was an understatement. He was already regretting his decision to get in the car with the man, but Yami still couldn't think of any other alternatives after the fact. It was obvious that Gozaburo was up to something and Yami had no choice but to wait for the man to reveal his true intentions.

Gozaburo enjoyed seeing Yami's composure start to weaken the longer the silence was prolonged between them. He watched unflinchingly as Yami began to fidget slightly under the guise of straightening the fabric of his pants and Gozaburo didn't miss the slight tremor in those slender fingers betraying the teen's nervousness.

Deciding that Yami was sufficiently unbalanced, Gozaburo stated, "You have no reason to fear me, boy."

"Funny, that's not what you were trying to convince me of the other night," Yami bitterly retorted, glaring at Gozaburo for good measure.

Chuckling in genuine amusement, Gozaburo commented, "At least you're bright enough to realize that."

Crossing his arms defensively over his chest, Yami defiantly held Gozaburo's gaze to try and prove that he was unaffected by the display of authority. "I don't even know why you're wasting your time with me," Yami said, trying to come off as disinterested as possible.

"Because you're a very important VIP and I didn't want to lose your patronage over a simple…_misunderstanding_," Gozaburo answered in a tone of voice that sent a shudder through Yami at the wrongness of it all.

Trying to sound more confident than he felt, Yami sneered, "What's to misunderstand? I thought it was pretty fucking clear."

Not buying into Yami's bravado, Gozaburo shifted in the seat to better look down at the teen. "Is it?" Gozaburo hummed, obviously not believing Yami's attempts at downplaying the reality of the situation. "Because it looks like you're avoiding being with Seto because you were forced to acknowledge him as Dragon."

"It has nothing to do with that," Yami dismissively told Gozaburo, struggling not to let his mind slip back to that horrible night.

"Then?" Gozaburo prompted, trying to get a reaction out of Yami.

Refusing to give in to the man's goals, Yami said, "Look, it doesn't matter, okay?"

"Oh, but it does," Gozaburo replied, leaning forward with interest as he assessed Yami.

"Maybe to you," Yami shot back, wanting to lean away from Gozaburo and resisting the urge. "Did it ever occur to you that I got in trouble for so many sudden expenses?"

Gozaburo couldn't suppress the smirk as Yami walked right into his trap. "Which is exactly why I'm here today," Gozaburo smoothly told Yami, sounding overly pleased with himself.

"What are you talking about?" Yami snapped, a feeling of dread forming in his stomach.

"I'm offering you time with Dragon, free of charge," Gozaburo explained, sounding so very benevolent. "Of course, if you've given up on him, I will allow you to choose someone else."

There was some niggling doubt in Yami that made him feel increasingly anxious. "What's the catch?" Yami demanded, knowing that there had to be something attached to the deal.

"So cynical," Gozaburo teased, although he silently approved of the boy's wariness. "I just wanted to remind you of the pleasures my boy can provide you with and failing that, showing you that any of my employees can do the same."

"I'm not interested," Yami instantly rejected, fearing that there was too much at risk to agree to such a seemingly good deal.

"Being afraid to take the opportunity and being uninterested in it are two very separate issues," Gozaburo pointed out, causing Yami to scowl. "It would be unwise to reject such a thing when I'm _offering_ you not only my boy, but an alternative for good measure."

There was something about the way that Gozaburo said, "offering," that made Yami's skin crawl in revulsion. The feeling only got worse as Gozaburo reached out and stroked Yami's cheek, making the spacious limo suddenly seem far too small for the teen's tastes. "Unless of course you'd rather have me train you myself," Gozaburo continued, laughing at Yami's gaping disbelief. When Yami tried to pull away, Gozaburo tightened his grip and used the momentum to yank the teen even closer to him. "I'm not about to let you go, boy."

Yami's eyes were wide in disbelief as he tried to clamp down on the rising panic inside of him, desperate to get away from the man's touch. It was too much to process on top of Gozaburo's layered meanings with his last threat and Yami was struggling to get away, composure be damned. Shoving hard at Gozaburo's broad chest and successfully creating some distance between them, Yami growled, "Knock it off!"

Gozaburo merely laughed and didn't take offense to the reaction—if anything, he was amused by it. "I do so enjoy your spirit," Gozaburo replied, making Yami feel further indignation. "I really wish you would reconsider working for me. I could put it to better uses…"

"I will never work for you," Yami growled, glaring at Gozaburo hatefully, all sense of decorum abandoned.

"Oh?" Gozaburo questioned with a malicious smile that sent a shiver of fear through Yami. "I wouldn't be so sure about that. I can make a _very_ convincing argument…"

The underlying perverseness of the statement was already more information than Yami was comfortable with, so he kept quiet on the subject. His discomfort was visibly obvious and only caused Gozaburo to laugh heartily, further displeasing Yami.

"You put up a good front, boy," Gozaburo complimented Yami, patting his cheek patronizingly before leaning back into the comfort of his leather seat. "I'll give you that much."

Rather than replying, Yami sat quietly and tried to figure out what Gozaburo was planning, even as the older man threatened, "Just don't forget that I've been playing this game longer than you've been alive."

* * *

**A/N:** I think now you can see why I didn't consider this appropriate for a Valentine's Day posting, yes? Gozaburo is just too creepy for such things.

This chapter is really setting up the next three in particular, so it's going to be a pretty intense little arc here for the next few weeks...

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_I think not," Gozaburo refused, looking at Yami with frighteningly cruel eyes. "As I said, this is his punishment."_

"_For what? Doing his job?" Yami sarcastically shot back, quivering with the strength of his anger._

The update will be posted on **Sunday, February 28th**, so please check in then! In the meantime, I look forward to hearing your thoughts! For those of you that keep leaving anonymous encouragement, I'd love to respond to you if I knew how to reach you. And to all of you leaving reviews, it means the world to me and really does help keep me going, so thank you! But I'm just thrilled that so many people seem to be reading and enjoying this fic, even though at times I'm still a bit surprised by it—thrilled, but shocked all at the same time.


	23. Chapter 23: Confronted

**A/N:** Although there are no lemons in this chapter, there is some **disturbing content** in this chapter. However, I ask all of you to bear in mind the original pairing listings and have some faith in Kaiba during this and the upcoming chapters before you panic about the current direction things _seem_ to be heading toward, okay?

* * *

**Chapter 23: Confronted**

Whatever Yami had been expecting to see, it certainly hadn't been Kaiba naked and handcuffed on a bed in a S&M theme room. The walls were covered with things resembled torture devices that Yami didn't recognize, let alone how they would come into play during sex. His eyes went wide as if to better see the atrocious site before him, but it was hard to examine the room with Kaiba in such a position. He was braced on his forearms that were outstretched and bound at the wrists by handcuffs, awkwardly forcing him into a position on his knees, facing the headboard that his restraints were attached to with his ass slightly raised in offering. He was rendered blind and mute by two bands of black silk, but the tension in his body showed that Kaiba was very much aware of the situation he was in at the moment.

Shaking his head fervently and taking a step back, Yami was startled when he ran into Gozaburo's broad chest; he hadn't even realized that the older man had moved closer to him. Yami froze at the feeling of those large hands on his waist, caging him in place as Gozaburo pressed closer to him and murmured in his ear, "Isn't this what you wanted?"

The proximity of the voice so close to his ear made Yami shudder, the accompanying chuckle causing his heart to pound with new fears. Emphatically shaking his head, "No," Yami tried to maintain his silence; he didn't want Kaiba to know that it was him in the room.

Even without Yami saying anything, Kaiba knew that his rival was there in the room with Gozaburo. Just as the chuckle had inspired fear in Yami, so too did it in Kaiba. He recognized the timber of it and the implications of what was to come—none of which would be good for either of them. It was the same intrigued laugh that Gozaburo had made when Kaiba had challenged the man to a game of chess for his adoption and the teen could only imagine what it meant for Yami now.

Not discouraged in the least, Gozaburo prompted in the same hushed tone, "Isn't he beautiful like that?"

It was almost mortifyingly humiliating to realize that even in such a position, Kaiba still managed to exude his inherent attractiveness; it only served to make Yami feel even worse about the situation. He hadn't topped once since they started meeting outside the walls of the brothel and the sight of Kaiba spread so beautifully on the black silk sheets would have been tempting if it weren't for the restrains that made him look like a prisoner. Rather than saying anything, Yami remained silent, even as Gozaburo continued trying to elicit a reaction from him, "Just laying there, yours for the _taking_."

Yami tried to block it out, but the moment that Gozaburo's hands slipped under his shirt to brush teasingly against his skin, he involuntarily gasped in shock as the older man laughed and continued, "Just waiting there for your touch, for your—" Gozaburo interrupted himself to laugh when Yami tried to break free from his large, wandering hands.

The sound of Yami's audible distress disturbed Kaiba and he tensed as possibilities of what had just transpired flashed through his mind. He had to regulate his breathing and forcibly relax his muscles; it wouldn't pay to alert Gozaburo to how it bothered him. Still, he was angered beyond words at the situation; he knew what Gozaburo was playing at, but Kaiba couldn't yet find a way out of the situation before it got worse. The sense of powerlessness he felt had nothing to do with the cuffs binding him in place and it was downright infuriating to Kaiba.

When even that failed to garner a response, Gozaburo decided that a new tactic was in order. Releasing Yami, Gozaburo relished the momentary flicker of confusion that had a fleck of fear contained within it. Walking over to the bed, Gozaburo allowed himself a moment to look over his investment, appreciating Ishi's choice of display method. "Perhaps you are still too angry at him?" Gozaburo wondered, looking at Yami with a calculating gaze.

Yami's eyes narrowed in disgust as he defiantly crossed his arms over his chest, trying to stare down Gozaburo rather than let his eyes betray him by straying to Kaiba. He wanted nothing more than to storm out and leave, but Yami worried what such a reaction would mean for Kaiba.

"If that's true," Gozaburo continued as he placed his hand on Kaiba's rear to fondle it in a mocking caress, "then you should be the one punishing him." Before Yami could react, Gozaburo slapped Kaiba's ass hard enough to immediately make it redden and force the teen farther forward onto his forearms, an example of one method the teen could employ.

From the moment Gozaburo had first touched him, Kaiba had expected the spanking, making it easier to control his reaction. It stung, but he had suffered far worse by another's hand, as well as by Gozaburo's; besides, it wasn't the riding crop that his adoptive father was so fond of using or any one of the torture instruments on the wall that could have been used instead. The only thing that had truly been hurt was his pride and the sound of Yami's shock; he could only imagine his rival's expression.

Forgetting his manners in his outage, Yami exploded, "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Laughing heartily, Gozaburo encouraged him, "That's the spirit, boy!"

It took several scattered syllables before Yami could properly formulate a complete thought, "Stop it!"

"I think not," Gozaburo refused, looking at Yami with frighteningly cruel eyes. "As I said, this is his punishment."

"For what? Doing his job?" Yami sarcastically shot back, quivering with the strength of his anger.

Walking away from Kaiba's side, Gozaburo approached Yami once more. "Consider this your final warning," Gozaburo threatened as he towered over Yami in a show of intimidation. "You need to remember that he belongs to me and if you can't fuck him like the whore that he is—"

"That's what this is about?" Yami interrupted in disbelief, resisting the urge to take a step back as Gozaburo came even closer to him.

"You still see Seto," Gozaburo explained before smirking. "Your eyes give you away, you know."

"What difference does it make?" Yami defensively demanded. "We all buy our illusions here."

Leaning close enough to disrupt Yami's personal space, Gozaburo whispered in the teen's ear, "Yes, but _Seto_ is not for sale."

When Yami started to protest, Gozaburo silenced him by grasping the teen's chin and forcing him to meet his gaze. "Last chance to prove me wrong, boy," Gozaburo warned, all trace of good humor gone.

Although he tried not to give in to temptation, Yami's eyes strayed to Kaiba. The angry red welt was still visible and it pissed off Yami to see it marring Kaiba's otherwise beautiful skin. If he stayed, it meant that Gozaburo would leave them both alone, but by remaining with Kaiba, it also meant that Yami was playing directly into the older man's hands. There wasn't much of a decision to be made, so Yami did the only thing he could think of by stating, "I'll agree on two conditions."

Both Kaiba and Gozaburo were surprised at the presumptuousness of making demands, but only the older man was laughing. "And what would those be?" Gozaburo asked, humoring his curiosity.

"I want to take off the blindfold and gag," Yami stated, fervently hoping that he wasn't blushing as he said it. He wanted to request that handcuffs be taken off as well, but Yami knew that was probably pushing for too much given the situation. Knowing that he needed to back up his request with irrefutable logic, Yami forced himself to sound confidently arrogant with a composure he wasn't exactly feeling at the moment. "I want him to know who's behind him."

It took more effort than Kaiba would have thought to hide the smug smirk at what Yami was trying to do. He couldn't help but mentally applaud the gumption of his rival to go toe to toe with the man over such a thing, even if Kaiba thought it was foolish; at this rate, Gozaburo was never going to lose interest in Yami. It was a troubling thought, but Kaiba pushed it aside to be dealt with at a later time in a different place.

Rather than conceding immediately, Gozaburo questioned, "And your other condition?"

Evenly meeting Gozaburo's gaze, Yami replied, "Since this isn't my particular…_kink_, I want an additional hour with Dragon—free of charge—in any room of my choosing." He hated calling Kaiba by that name, but Yami knew that it was necessary for proving a point to Gozaburo.

The audacity of the request made Gozaburo laugh heartily, all the more so because Yami was trying so hard to put up an unaffected front. "What incentive do I have to give in to such ridiculous demands?" Gozaburo goaded, knowing that he was the one in complete control of the situation.

"Because you want me to come back," Yami replied as he took a step closer to Gozaburo, trying to prove that he wasn't afraid.

Reaching out and yanking hard to pull Yami close against him, Gozaburo murmured, "Maybe it's just because I want you."

Kaiba's vivid imagination was showing him all sorts of objectionable images and he tried to quell the near violent rage that boiled inside of him at Gozaburo's words. It went far beyond a possessive jealousy over Yami—it was the need to protect him at almost any cost. So far he had succeeded in keeping Mokuba safe from Gozaburo's machinations and Kaiba was determined to make sure that the same was true for Yami; anything else was unacceptable failure. It was just another mark against Gozaburo, another reason for Kaiba to want revenge against the bastard for everything he had done.

"Regardless," Yami commented, trying not to feel ill and failing, "you have to agree to my terms."

"Only because you entertain me with your bravado in resistance," Gozaburo said by way of agreement as he caressed Yami's cheek, making the teen's flesh crawl in disgust. "I shall indulge you this once."

It was easier to breathe once Gozaburo freed Yami, but he didn't step back like he so desperately wanted to. Instead, he held his ground as Gozaburo's eyes traced approvingly over his form, making Yami feel incredibly self-conscious. There were no words that he could say, so Yami stoically stood still as he waited for Gozaburo's next move.

Clasping his broad hand on Yami's slender shoulder, Gozaburo warned, "Don't make me regret my decision."

It felt like Gozaburo was threatening him with more than just the present concession and Yami swallowed hard as he tried not to react. He didn't move when Gozaburo released him, nor did he after the older man finally left the room. Even after Yami was left alone with Kaiba, he hesitated to immediately approach his rival out of paranoia that Gozaburo might decide to come back on a whim. Besides, he needed the chance to collect his composure and calm his nerves after the encounter and to prepare for what was yet to happen.

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**A/N:** Intense enough for you yet? *hides*

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_I don't like this," Yami muttered, his hands stilling in their wandering._

"_Don't knock it until you've tried it," Kaiba retorted with a beautifully wicked grin that made Yami's heart flutter despite his unwillingness to go along with Gozaburo's attempts at demeaning the brunette. "I know you have that dominating streak in you somewhere..."_

This next update will be lemontastic and goes up on **Sunday, March 7th**, so check back then for the continuation of this arc!


	24. Chapter 24: Ulterior

**A/N:** This chapter is **95 percent lemon**, so please be forewarned. Also, there is a **very important announcement regarding updates** at the end of the chapter. Now, on with the chapter!

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**Chapter 24: Ulterior **

Deciding that he was being ridiculous, Yami wasted no more time before walking over to the bed where Kaiba was waiting motionless. Hesitantly kneeling behind Kaiba, Yami reached out with trembling fingers and undid the black silk knot that was preventing his rival from speaking. It fell away and Kaiba reflexively moved his jaw to loosen it. Even though Ishi took care with the restraints, it was still awkward, but not as much as it could have been if Kaiba had been forced to stay in them the entire time or if she had chosen another method of binding.

Yami undid the second knot on the blindfold and pulled it away before casting it aside as well. Only then did he dare to place his hand on Kaiba's side before sliding his hand in front; it was almost ticklish to the brunette. Yami gently guided him to sit up and lean back against him, which gave Kaiba the chance to stretch his upper thighs that were protesting from remaining in one position too long. Against his better judgment, Kaiba allow himself to rest against Yami, momentarily enjoying the gentleness of the wandering touch in comparison to the harsher treatment he was used to receiving in that specific room.

There was no noticeable tension in Kaiba's body and it surprised Yami. He still felt terrible about the whole situation and he placed a kiss on Kaiba's shoulder to disguise his whispered apology that the brunette heard anyway.

"It's okay," Kaiba murmured before impishly adding, "although it would be better if you were naked."

Yami's jaw dropped at the comment and it brought him back to the situation at hand as Kaiba looked back over his shoulder with a blatant desire that only served to further cloud the scarlet eyed teen's judgment. "After all, isn't that why we're here?" Kaiba asked, his voice dropping to a sensuous rumble that was calling to Yami on a deeper level.

The prompt of why they were there was an unpleasant reminder to the purpose of his visit and Yami scowled unhappily at Kaiba. "Besides, I can't exactly help you this way," Kaiba continued, gesturing with his bound hands for emphasis.

"I don't like this," Yami muttered, his hands stilling in their wandering.

"Don't knock it until you've tried it," Kaiba retorted with a beautifully wicked grin that made Yami's heart flutter despite his unwillingness to go along with Gozaburo's attempts at demeaning the brunette. "I know you have that dominating streak in you _somewhere_..."

"Yeah, but that's—this is just—" Yami started to protest.

"This is just another experience," Kaiba interrupted to finish. "Now stop stalling and strip."

Even though Yami rankled at the cool authoritative tone Kaiba used to command him, some twisted part of him got a thrill out of it all the same. "Shouldn't I be the one giving orders?" Yami shot back with a haughty glare that met with amused cerulean.

"Then give them," Kaiba said before facing forward once more, as if it were truly as simple as that.

The whole concept of the forced encounter bothered Yami, but he knew that it needed to be done to move on to other things. Taking a deep breath and hoping that he wasn't making a horrible mistake, Yami got off of the bed and hurriedly disrobed. Still, his guilt over the unavoidable situation they found themselves in prevented Yami from being aroused and his debate on what to do next was interrupted by Kaiba informing him, "Condoms are in the night stand."

Once again balking at the initial comment, Yami gave in and walked over to retrieve one, blatantly ignoring whatever other sundries were rolling around in the top drawer. He took the opportunity to look Kaiba in the eye finally and he was surprised by the confident and mischievous gleam he saw; there was no trace of embarrassment or humiliation present in those proud eyes.

When Kaiba licked his lips while staring up with that same passionate look, Yami could feel himself start to stir a little. It was familiar ground—a familiar look—and he tried to focus on those aspects of the encounter; maybe then it wouldn't be so awkward and uncomfortable. "Come on," Kaiba tried to entice Yami, having no choice but to use his words since his range of physical movement was rather limited due to the restraints, "I know you want to. After all, it's been weeks…"

And it had been weeks since Yami had been buried inside of Kaiba, something that made him ache just thinking about it. Every time they had met outside of the brothel, Yami had allowed Kaiba to take the lead; he could tell that it was important to his rival, plus it was always an enjoyable experience that he found little to object to. Still, Yami thoroughly enjoyed being on top and it _had_ been far too long.

"Just let go," Kaiba encouraged with a devious look that promised all sorts of wonderfully wicked things. Despite the circumstances, Kaiba was admittedly curious about what would happen if some of Yami's self-restraint was chipped away and he allowed himself to give in to those baser urges that the teen tended to ignore. He was always careful even in the more heated moments and Kaiba wanted to see what Yami was like when he was pushed to the absolute edge of pleasure. There was an element of excitement about it and Kaiba was already aroused by the possibilities of what Yami would do to him.

Seeing evidence of Kaiba's enjoyment was the final push that Yami needed and he looked into those blue eyes with a final silent question before taking any further actions. When Kaiba nodded and gestured with his head behind him, Yami finally complied and got back on the bed with a slight flutter of nervousness.

Pressing his body flush against Kaiba's, Yami enjoyed the skin to skin contact and found it focusing his attentions to where they needed to be. Dropping the condom onto the bed beside him, Yami then wrapped both of his arms around Kaiba, one hand wandering down to tease the prominent arousal. "Already?" Yami questioned, his voice deepened with the rush of lust that accompanied his actions. He felt an ache inside of him at the thought of Kaiba's cock being buried deep within him and Yami pressed that much closer to the brunette, his hips reflexively moving slightly with the thoughts as he started to harden further himself.

"Mm," Kaiba moaned in confirmation, grinding his ass against Yami's cock even as he thrust into the hand that was lightly teasing him.

Despite the weirdness of the whole situation, Yami found himself getting drawn in by the seductive sway of Kaiba's hips. His free hand wandered the pale expanse of Kaiba's torso, refamiliarizing himself with his rival's body one teasing touch at a time. Combined with the beautiful noises of need that Kaiba was making, Yami started to let go of the last of his reservations; as long as he focused on the brunette, nothing else would matter.

Even though Kaiba was enjoying the touch, he could tell that Yami was stalling again. Knowing that they were being closely monitored pissed him off, but that was nothing new. It just brought to the forefront of Kaiba's mind that he needed to get Yami to speed things up a little to avoid Gozaburo getting suspicious. Kaiba knew that he could play it one of two ways and he gambled on which to run with, because he could either go with the sadist or masochist role and he might just get away with aggressive need without getting into trouble with Gozaburo later.

"So are you going to touch me all night or are you actually going to fuck me?" Kaiba taunted, trying to draw Yami further into the game.

Although Yami arched his eyebrows in surprise at Kaiba's vulgarity, he didn't let it deter him from his actions. "Maybe," was the only answer Yami gave, although he was finally hard enough to put on the condom; it seemed that no matter how much his mind may protest the circumstances, his body was always ready to appreciate Kaiba's beauty.

When Yami leaned back on his haunches and Kaiba heard the small packet being ripped into, he took the opportunity to reposition himself. Once again leaning forward and bracing himself on his forearms as he had been when Yami entered the room, Kaiba was shocked by his own sense of anticipation of what was to come. Even if it was further proof of his depravity from being employed under Gozaburo for too long, for once it didn't bother Kaiba as he waited for Yami's next move.

Discarding the empty packaging onto the sheets, Yami edged closer on his knees, unable to stop himself from running his hands from Kaiba's shoulders, down his back, and finally over his firm ass. There was still the faintest trace of red from Gozaburo's earlier slap and Yami tenderly ran his fingers over the fading mark. It was just another reminder of why they were here and Yami had to ignore it or else it was going to prevent him from going through with it.

"Come on!" Kaiba growled after he felt Yami pausing in the middle of lining up to enter him.

Although Yami was hesitant to just thrust in without any preparations, he had to trust in Kaiba's insistence and the backward thrust of his rivals hips, as if the brunette were trying to impale himself on the rigid member tempting him. Taking a deep breath, Yami once again lined himself up with Kaiba's entrance and he watched in fascination as he disappeared into his rival inch by inch. He steadied himself by grasping onto Kaiba's hips, not stopping until he was completely sheathed inside of his rival who was practically moaning in relief at finally being filled.

"_Yes_," Kaiba groaned in satisfaction, pleased that they were finally getting somewhere.

Taking a moment to compose himself, Yami started off at a slow pace, losing his awareness as he became captivated by Kaiba's body moving so beautifully beneath him. It made it easier to forget about the circumstances that had led to them being in their present situation; if Yami could put it out of his mind completely, he might just manage to enjoy the experience. However, he was startled back to attention when Kaiba pushed hard back against him, trying to silently encourage a harsher rhythm.

It was enough to get Yami to speed things up a bit, but it still wasn't enough for Kaiba. "Harder!" Kaiba finally demanded when he realized that Yami wasn't getting the hint.

Complying with some amount of reservation, Yami did so only for a few thrusts before falling back into the easy rhythm, further frustrating Kaiba. The brunette tried angling his hips differently to force Yami to hit that place inside of him that would make him moan, but it still wasn't enough. "Yami," Kaiba called out, breaking his rule on saying his rival's name in the brothel in the hopes of achieving his goal. It was too much like normal and he was going to have to switch tactics pretty soon if Yami didn't get motivated enough on his own to take things to the next level.

The sound of his name surprised Yami, but not as much as the undercurrent of sexually frustrated need that colored Kaiba's tone. Instinctively Yami wanted to respond with, "Seto," but he forced himself to say, "Dragon," out of a random paranoia that Gozaburo would know if he did otherwise. It came out as a primal, guttural sound of lust that made Kaiba moan as his hips jerked hard in response, finally causing Yami to buck into him with renewed strength.

Even as his body reacted favorably to the roughness of their actions, Yami hated that he had called Kaiba by his brothel name and he couldn't stand the fact that his rival was moaning and arching beneath him like the whore that he was for such a reason. It just felt so false and after so many weeks with Seto, it was a harsh reality to suddenly be confronted with Dragon, because this certainly wasn't the Kaiba he had been introduced to at the brothel. He had never heard Kaiba be quite so vocal in this manner before and the needy whimpers and pleas were starting to fray Yami's nerves.

They were getting closer to what Kaiba was hoping for, but it still wasn't enough and he was getting frustrated by it. "Come on, _harder_, damn it!" Kaiba growled as Yami started to back off, as if he were starting to become aware of his slip. "Fuck me!"

The command pissed off Yami and it acted like a catalyst to everything that had been building up inside of him, the little flare of irritation quickly igniting into something more. Things were starting to catch up with him all too quickly: his hatred of the man that had put them both in their current predicament, frustration over Kaiba being forced into such demeaning subjugation, livid over Jounouchi's earlier attempts and the fact that he even had the chance to try something, anger at himself for being weak enough to be manipulated by the likes of Gozaburo, irate over the threats at Yuugi, resentful that he kept coming back to the brothel, and even more complex reactions that he wasn't equipped to handle. It was just a firestorm mess of emotions that had been building for months and it was just looking for an outlet to be channeled through for release. Even though it had never been Yami's intention, he found himself getting more worked up by the whole thing and it began to affect his pace without him even realizing it.

The beautiful way that Kaiba was splayed beneath him, just waiting to be ravished and thoroughly debauched, was calling out to Yami, urging him to dominate his rival's desires completely, to take him so utterly and completely that the brunette wouldn't even want to move afterward. Because even though he hated what he was reducing Kaiba to, some small part of Yami was getting a secret thrill out of the power trip over ruining that impeccable control, even if it _was_ just an illusion.

"Stop it," Yami growled, addressing both himself and Kaiba. Yami knew that he needed to try and calm himself to recoup his composure, but he really needed Kaiba to stop trying to tap into that part of him that he wasn't ready to explore—especially not under such conditions.

The pace was getting rougher and more erratic, alerting Kaiba to the fact that he had almost succeeded in pushing Yami over that edge of abandon. "If that is your wish," Kaiba murmured, choosing his words carefully, wisely deciding against adding any form of address he was normally forced to use in the room.

It worked as Kaiba had predicted and he writhed from the results, pushed farther forward onto his forearms, making him strain against the handcuffs as the pleasure continued to build. The words had triggered thoughts of what Yami wished for him—for _them_—and how far away they were from that. He finally snapped and started slamming almost violently into Kaiba, his anger bleeding away the last of his reason and common sense. It was so against everything that Yami wanted and yet it felt so damn good that it only served to anger and confuse him further. Yami was mad at himself for enjoying the rougher treatment and he hated that he was managing to get off on it despite his objections—of which Kaiba seemed to have none.

The more Kaiba shouted, "Yes," the more it seemed to spur Yami on, as if he were showing his displeasure for every affirmation of pleasure. Kaiba alternatively pleaded for a harder and faster rhythm, begging for more as he tried to encourage Yami to go further. Yami was powerless to deny Kaiba at that point, and he held onto those slender hips tightly as he pistoned in and out of his rival with a fierceness that had them both burning from pleasure and growling from a need for more. Even as he gave in to Kaiba's cries for more, it fueled the fire burning within Yami that only seemed to grow hotter as they continued. It was a near volatile coupling, the slick sounds of their joining and panting filling the otherwise silent room as their passions echoed and built upon one another, the anger getting lost in between somewhere and yet still somehow present in the harsh rhythm. Yami wasn't so much disciplining Kaiba as much as reasserting a claim over him, pushing them both hard at a punishing pace.

Every time Kaiba demanded more, suddenly Yami needed even more himself and their lust was spiraling out of control. It was a blur of white heat in Yami's mind and he responded on a primal level to Kaiba's unrestrained cries of lust that only served to stoke his own further as affirmations and curses freely flowed between them, sometimes running together into nonsense syllables even as the word, "Fuck," became as much a mantra as a breath shared between them as they degenerated further. It was vulgar and all encompassing, consuming them both as they continued losing themselves in each other, losing track of everything else that was beyond them. After having been in so many situations over the past few weeks where they had to stifle their noises for fear of being discovered, it was almost liberating to be able to verbally express their enjoyment and they made the most of the privacy soundproof walls offered.

It was too hard and fast for Yami to sustain for very long, especially given how long it had been since he had enjoyed the pleasures of Kaiba's body as the dominate one. He came with a loud cry, shouting, "Dragon," as he thrust shallowly until he was completely spent. It calmed the fury into a murmuring buzz in the back of his mind and only then did Yami realize he had yet to touch Kaiba since the beginning, breaking the trance he had fallen under and hitting him with more guilt than what had just happened.

Kaiba had been desperately trying to control his reaction when he felt Yami's hand start to slide forward and he gasped sharply as he tried to arch away from the touch. He was so close to finding release and Kaiba knew he couldn't risk it in that room while Gozaburo was watching. From his earliest days of training, Kaiba knew that the client's pleasure came first and his own was just an afterthought, particularly in the room they were occupying. It would be a show of consideration that Gozaburo would gleefully use against Kaiba and it couldn't be allowed.

Desperately hoping that the microphones didn't hear him, Kaiba hid his face against his forearms and whimpered, "Don't," as soft as he could while still hoping that Yami would understand. He flinched when he felt Yami's fingers brush against his much neglected member and Kaiba took a shuddering breath to try and steady himself, even as it made his rival shiver with a want that never seemed to abate.

It confused Yami, his mind too clouded by the aftermath to immediately comprehend why Kaiba was trying to subtly rebuff him. His first assumption was that Kaiba was reacting out of shame, but that was so far against the brunette's character that it didn't make sense to Yami. Only then did it occur to Yami that if Gozaburo's purpose was to prove that he could see his rival as a whore, it meant using Kaiba solely for his own pleasure. It made him feel sick to withdraw his hand and pull out of Kaiba at the same time, but Yami wouldn't put it past Gozaburo to come back and check on Kaiba or something disturbing like that.

Yami had to clamp down on the urge to groan even as Kaiba allowed his protest to escape from his lips. Yami was still almost disoriented from the intense experience and he pulled off the condom and put it on top of the package he had cast aside earlier; he would have been more worried about the mess if it weren't for the fact that he couldn't shake the suspicion that Gozaburo would be checking for evidence.

Unsure of what he should do next, Yami awkwardly relocated himself to lie down next to Kaiba and rest his legs; his muscles were quivering from the exertion and he still needed time to recuperate from the experience. Laying on his back and looking up at Kaiba, Yami was surprised by the smugly satiated look in those bright blue eyes. He wasn't sure what he had been expecting to see—maybe angry accusations of betrayal or something—but Yami wasn't exactly disappointed by the desire he saw reflected back at him. Then again, he wasn't exactly _pleased_ with it, either. It almost would have been easier to handle if Kaiba were glaring hatefully at him, to make him feel as bad as he should over the whole thing.

Making himself as comfortable as he could given the restraints, Kaiba subtly stretched before settling down and addressing Yami, "So that's what happens when you lose control…"

"I—" Yami started to protest in shame, his blush indistinguishable from the flush of his earlier exertion.

Knowing that Yami was undoubtedly about to launch into a rambling apology, Kaiba talked over him, "Mm, remind me to piss you off next time and see what happens." He chuckled at the confusion that flashed in those ever expressive scarlet eyes that never failed to fascinate Kaiba on some level. "Although I'd much rather see your expressions in the middle of an angry fuck…"

"Why would we have angry sex?" Yami blustered, practically tripping up in the latter words in his embarrassment, especially since there had been an element of that in their joining.

"Because we both have tempers and it feels fantastic," Kaiba replied, as if it were the most logical of answers.

"I'll—I'll take your word for it," Yami stuttered, feeling something inside of him flutter at the sight of Kaiba's perverse grin that promised he'd make sure his rival enjoyed himself.

Still, it was too strange to just act like everything was normal, but Yami just didn't know what else he should do. The calmness of Kaiba's features completely perplexed Yami and the brunette just seemed so untouchable and removed that it only further reinforced the Dragon persona that he was supposed to exude. It created a distance between them that Yami hadn't experienced since he first starting going to Kaiba Corporation and he disliked it immensely, but there was nothing that could be done about it while they remained in that room.

Silence descended between them then and Yami didn't know whether to remain quiet or try and fill the space with words. He settled for the former, waiting for a cue from Kaiba to do otherwise. Under the guise of stretching Kaiba glanced over at the clock and realized that they were almost done with their first hour. It was strange to realize because it had seemed to go by faster than Kaiba had expected; normally time dragged by at an almost painful rate when he was forced to endure Room Four. "Go try and find another room," Kaiba finally said, knowing that he would need a little extra time to free himself from the restraints.

"Any suggestions?" Yami asked, even though he was slightly startled by the random transition in topics.

"Might as well try out a new room," Kaiba suggested, although he wouldn't mind the ryokan room with the onsen; he knew his muscles were going to be a bit tight after being forced to stay in the same position for so long and it always felt good to soak in the outdoor tub after such things. Still, Kaiba knew better than to suggest something he actually wanted; Gozaburo would make all sorts of accusations that could have repercussions that were best avoided if at all possible.

Nodding in understanding as he sat up, Yami hesitantly offered, "Can I free you now or…?"

"No, I'll take care of it," Kaiba refused, intentionally omitting Ishi's role in helping free him.

"Okay," Yami said as he got off of the bed, some of the awkwardness coming back to him then. It just felt so informal, so…well, the irony didn't escape Yami and he scowled to himself as he forced himself to quickly get dressed and leave without another word; he got the impression that was the proper course of action in the given situation.

When Kaiba heard Yami exit and the door close, only then did he allow himself to imperceptibly relax as he waited for Ishi to come free him from the metal that was starting to chafe from the way he had been straining against the cuffs. It was a little too apropos for comfort and Kaiba ignored it as he closed his eyes and rested for the few moments of solitude he'd be allowed for the evening.

* * *

**A/N:** A very special thank you goes out to **Bahen** for helping me reconsider the angle of this chapter!

I swear, that's the most vanilla thing that's probably ever happened in that room, but Yami can only be pushed so far so fast…

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Laughing outright at Yami's indignation, Kaiba practically purred in a sensuous timber, "I wasn't begging, I was giving you __**directions**__."_

That should give you a hint about what direction the next chapter is going to take, ne?

Okay, now for some **important news about updates**. I'm going to be in Italy from March 11th through the 30th! So what does this mean for you, my most loyal of readers? While it's very exciting for me, it means I probably _realistically _won't be able to update the next chapter until **Sunday, April 4th**. I'm going to _try_ and post while I'm gone, but I really don't want to promise what I may not be able to deliver on a technicality of technology. If by some chance I can manage it, I'll try for **Sunday, March 14th**, but I really doubt I'll be able to pull that off. I'm shocked I got this one up smack in the middle of midterms and planning for my trip, honestly. But hopefully it was worth it! I still can't believe how close I am to hitting 400 reviews on this fic! I'm in awe of you all! And how did this weird little idea ever grow to almost 100,000 words?! Some things are just a mystery...

Having said that, even if I can't post my updates during those Sundays I'm away, the odds are pretty high that I'm still going to be writing during this trip. Who knows what inspiration might strike while I'm abroad in Italy? I _may_ even be able to do a double posting when I get back, but we'll see how it goes.

So while I apologize for the unexpected (likely) three week hiatus, hopefully you can understand!


	25. Chapter 25: All Over

**A/N: **Another smutty chapter, with about **50 percent lemon** content.

* * *

**Chapter 25: All Over**

Deciding to logically try the first room he had never been in, Yami's eyes went wide at the sight of the tiny room that was nothing more than a small stage with a silver pole in the middle and a leather booth that gave the illusion of a private peep show strip club room. His vivid imagination was already supplying him with mental visuals of Kaiba wrapping himself around the pole and gyrating in a sexy striptease that almost tempted Yami to remain. He hadn't even known such a thing was appealing until he had thought of it, but Yami decided to explore a little more; besides, he felt like he had already put Kaiba through enough of that sort of thing for one day.

The next room he tried was surprisingly boring, just a simple replication bedroom that could have been in any house, although the bed was larger than the average one. Yami supposed that would appeal to someone looking for a more realistic experience in the surreal place, but it didn't necessarily do anything for him given that they had already done things in his own bedroom.

Just as Yami was about to try another door, Yami was startled by Ishi's voice, "Might I suggest a room, sir?"

Spinning to face her with a mildly guilty look, Yami stuttered, "S-sure, yeah."

Leading him to the room next door to the ryokan suite, Ishi ushered him inside a minimalist space with stark furniture made of white fabric and stainless steel that felt so empty it might as well have been devoid of any furnishings at all. Before Yami could question her decision, Ishi led him outside to the balcony and he was once again surprised by the ingenuity of Kaiba Corporation's use of space.

Much like the onsen area on the other side of the wall, the area was surprisingly large for an outdoor space, but that wasn't what shocked Yami. Instead of being concrete like a normal balcony or stone like the onsen side, the entire area was covered in green grass that defied logic. A jacuzzi was close to the wall, presumably to share the same plumbing and water source, but it looked just as inviting. Starting the water jets, Ishi turned to face Yami and asked, "Will this suffice, sir?"

Nodding mutely, Yami was distracted by the fact that he wanted to take off his socks and see if the grass was as soft as it looked. Finally finding his voice, Yami said, "Yes, thanks."

Smiling brilliantly at Yami and hoping she wouldn't get in trouble with Gozaburo for her suggestion, Ishi told him, "Dragon-sama will be with you shortly."

"Thank you," he absentmindedly replied before she slipped away to take care of her other duties. Once he was left alone, Yami gave in to the urge to take off his socks and he was startled at how realistic the grass felt under his toes. If it was some form of Astroturf and not actual real grass, Yami would be shocked because it felt as natural as if he were walking through a field. The Kaiba Corporation building never failed to astound him at its ingenuity and Yami wondered what else he would discover about its clever uses of space.

Heading over to the banister, Yami leaned against it and looked out over the city below him. Despite being in a seedy part of town, the view was still beautiful even in the daylight without the glow of lighting that made the city seem alive even in the darkest of nights. He had a momentary flash of concern over being seen since it was late afternoon, but there wasn't a single building nearby that was anywhere close to as tall as Kaiba Corporation, plus the sun was already starting to set.

Now that he had the moment to reflect on everything, it bothered Yami to know that he had let Gozaburo succeed in playing—and to some extent, winning—a head game with him by using Kaiba. More than that, Yami hated that he had called Kaiba by his brothel name and it disturbed him to realize that it was the first time they had ever just gotten straight to sex without so much as a kiss or even any real foreplay. And yet, he had still managed to enjoy himself despite that, even as he questioned his sense of decency for being capable of getting off under those conditions. There had just been something thrilling about the pace and it had been hard not to get caught up in the moment with the way that Kaiba had been reacting. Still, it made Yami feel dirty in some respects, making him no better than the other patrons who visited the place. He had used Kaiba as a receptacle for his rage and his lust alike, losing complete sight of the brunette's feelings in the process. Despite that, Yami ultimately realized that he was feeling bad about not feeling worse about the whole situation and he just didn't know what to do about that.

Instead of thinking on it further, Yami pushed those thoughts aside in favor of trying to blank his mind and await Kaiba's arrival.

* * *

After Ishi had finished attending to Kaiba and informing him of Yami's whereabouts, she took her leave to return to her position at the front desk. When the doors to the elevator opened, she was startled by the appearance of Gozaburo, but not entirely unsurprised. Bowing politely to him and entering the elevator with some amount of hesitation, Ishi waited for him to speak, knowing that he undoubtedly had something to say about her devious actions.

"Interesting choice of rooms, girl," Gozaburo commented, his presence making the elevator feel far too small for comfort.

"I recalled that Yami-sama enjoyed the onsen experience and I figured he might want to try the hot tub," Ishi innocently commented, although that was only a partial truth. In reality, the outside balcony provided the perfect cover she suspected that the two teens needed. The wind interfered with the microphone's ability to pick up sound, as did the bubbling of the jacuzzi waterjets. It also limited the amount of camera coverage, making it easier to hide mouthed words to express things that otherwise would have to be left unsaid—particularly once the sun finished setting. The outside setting was the closest thing to true privacy that she could offer them and she could only hope that Gozaburo didn't call her out on her deviousness. Gozaburo may have been her boss, but Kaiba would always be her priority.

Looking at the girl for any sign of deception, he quickly dismissed her actions as annoying good intentions at making sure the customer was satisfied by the choice in settings. Ishi was many things, but he had never known her to interfere in such a way; she flawlessly performed all of her duties despite her personal feelings and the night with Jounouchi had served as confirmation of the fact. His trust was not misplaced in the girl and he would abstain from punishing her on this specific occasion.

When the doors opened at the ground floor, Ishi bowed once more to her employer and tried not to breathe a sigh of relief when he did nothing but nod in acknowledgement and remain in the elevator to return to his office as she resumed her front desk duties.

* * *

Kaiba could have hugged Ishi for her foresight and it took off some of the pressure for him to know that they had the closest thing to freedom that the brothel offered outside of the onsen. Approaching Yami and caging him against the railing, Kaiba pressed close to his rival and looked out over the same expanse of city that didn't hold quite as much charm to him as it did for the other.

When his rival still didn't move, Kaiba placed a soft kiss on the side of Yami's neck in an attempt to elicit some sort of response. Yami's breathing hitched, but that was the only outward sign of reaction. Returning Yami's earlier actions, Kaiba kissed the top of his rival's shoulder to hide his murmur of, "Hey."

The absurdity of such a normal greeting under such abnormal circumstances made Yami laugh, but there was an edge of hysteria in it that disturbed Kaiba. "What?" Kaiba asked, failing to see the humor in his greeting.

When Yami bowed his head as if he was ashamed, Kaiba continued his one sided conversation, "If you're feeling guilty, stop it."

Making a noise of protest, Yami tried to turn around to face Kaiba, but he was prevented by the tightening of the taller teen's embrace. "How could I not?" Yami finally muttered when he realized he wasn't going to be able to look at Kaiba.

"Hn, like you didn't enjoy that," Kaiba scoffed as he nipped at Yami's ear to prove a point. "You may get away with that friendship brigade nonsense with everyone else, but I know you have a fighting spirit and—"

"—that doesn't mean I like doing that!" Yami interrupted to protest, a blush forming on his cheeks that Kaiba couldn't see. He hated how much he blushed around his rival, but there was very little that he could do to stop it; Kaiba just had that sort of effect on him.

"But you _did_ enjoy that," Kaiba pointed out with a smug laugh that sent a shiver through Yami despite his qualms over the whole thing. "And so did I…"

Using the railing as leverage, Yami successfully managed to turn around, although he failed at trying to free himself. Most of his bravado faltered at the confidently arrogant look that still held the smoldering fire of desire that never quite managed to get satiated despite their best attempts. It also didn't help that Kaiba was wearing a plush white robe that was loosely tied and revealed his smooth chest; it was distracting, but Yami quickly refocused himself. "I didn't enjoy making you beg," Yami shot back, knowing that he couldn't deny the actual claim against him. He had enjoyed it immensely and felt horrible about it, but there had been something fascinatingly contradictory about feeling so free despite the restraints.

Laughing outright at Yami's indignation, Kaiba practically purred in a sensuous timber, "I wasn't begging, I was giving you _directions_."

The sound of Kaiba's laughter combined with the tone of his voice was almost enough to distract Yami from what was actually being said. "You were…?" Yami tried to ask, but failed as he looked up into those blue eyes that were bright in amusement.

Rather than answering with words, Kaiba used the element of surprise to his advantage and he claimed Yami's lips in a heated kiss. It was harsh and demanding, enhanced by the way Kaiba forced Yami back against the railing. The metal dug into Yami's back a little, but not enough to distract him from the overwhelming passion of the shared kiss that was obliterating everything else. He couldn't move much because of their positioning, so Yami desperately held onto Kaiba, his hands automatically reaching under the robe lapels to feel more of him while giving it back as good as he was getting it, despite being at a complete loss over what was happening. Kaiba was dominating completely, but Yami still fought back as best he could, moaning into it when the brunette gently suckled on his lip at the end before nipping it teasingly.

"Understand now?" Kaiba questioned with a smirk, his voice still in that husky register that made Yami quiver with desire every time. When Yami wasn't forthright with an immediate answer, Kaiba decided to clue in his obviously overwhelmed rival. "Rough isn't always bad."

To say that it was an effective demonstration was an understatement and Yami could only manage a breathless, "_Oh_," that once again made Kaiba chuckle.

Leaning down and murmuring in Yami's ear, "And sometimes restraints are good. Makes you want it more."

"If you—if you say so," Yami stuttered, still flustered from the kiss and the way that Kaiba was still pressing up against him. It made him overly conscious of where his hands had migrated to, but Yami didn't withdraw them.

"I could show you," Kaiba teased, loving the soft gasp his words elicited. Pulling back slightly and amused by the fact that Yami still didn't move, Kaiba set aside that particular fantasy for the moment. "Perhaps another time…"

There was nothing that Yami could say to that, so he merely shrugged and allowed himself to be led over to the jacuzzi. Yami was mesmerized by Kaiba slipping out of his robe and letting it fall to the ground, but he quickly stripped out of his clothes as well.

Kaiba got in first and held out his hand to help Yami in before situating himself in the custom designed hot tub. He could already feel himself immediately relaxing, his muscles loosening with the massaging heat of the waterjets. Yami sighed happily at the feeling, sitting next to Kaiba and enjoying the rare experience.

They remained silent as they indulged themselves, the water easing the remaining tension from Yami's body over the stress of what had just happened. He had expected Kaiba to be upset or angered over what had transpired, but if anything, the brunette seemed deeply satisfied with the outcome. Yami covertly glanced over at Kaiba and was surprised to see him resting with his eyes closed to the setting sun. It almost looked like he was asleep and Yami allowed himself to observe for a little longer, entranced by the sight. Kaiba appeared almost completely unguarded and Yami had the strangest urge to reach out and touch him.

Yami was startled by Kaiba asking, "Is there some reason that you're staring?"

"Who said I was staring?" Yami defensively shot back, wondering how Kaiba had known such a thing without even opening his eyes.

Chuckling to himself, Kaiba remained as he was and didn't answer with anything more than a smug smirk that irked Yami. It was enough to prevent Yami from continuing to look, so he averted his gaze elsewhere and quickly grew bored with the silence and the lack of anything happening.

Yami finally grew bored enough that he decided to relocate. Emboldened by Kaiba's attitude, Yami straddled himself over his rival's lap. He was surprisingly annoyed by the fact that Kaiba had yet to open his eyes, so Yami gave in to his previous urge and stroked the brunette's cheek. Although the corner of Kaiba's mouth turned upward, he gave no other indication of being receptive to Yami's change of location.

Kaiba eventually opened his eyes and Yami was completely captivated by the playfulness he saw hiding within them. Yami wasn't given long to dwell on it since Kaiba started distracting him with teasing touches under the water, just lightly trailing his fingers over tan skin and making his rival shiver despite the heat.

Wrapping his arms around Kaiba's neck, Yami started trailing kisses down the pale expanse of his throat, pleased when the brunette tilted his head to the side to give better access. Their actions were soft and gentle, completely unhurried despite the time constraints. It was a stark contrast to their previous encounter and Yami luxuriated in the experience of Kaiba's large hands enticing his body into a higher state of desire.

Lulled into complacency by the sensual sensations, Yami jolted in surprise when he felt those long fingers start teasing his entrance. His hips thrust down on instinct and Yami accidentally whimpered, "Seto," in Kaiba's ear as he buried his face against the brunette's shoulder. If they had been in any other location, Kaiba would have reprimanded Yami, but he knew there was no way for that single breathy utterance to be heard over the waterjets.

Instead of seriously warning Yami, Kaiba murmured, "What did I tell you about that?" All the while, his fingers were still tormenting Yami, applying just enough pressure to drive Yami wild with desire.

Every time Kaiba's fingers got close to penetrating him, Yami was frustrated when he was denied, even though logically he knew it would hurt him under the present conditions if they were to do anything further. It still made him want more, so Yami found himself mindlessly apologizing, "I'm sorry," repeatedly as his body continued to move in sync with Kaiba's fingers, groaning in frustration when they slipped away to tease his perineum.

Once he was thoroughly satisfied that he had Yami's attention, only then did Kaiba move his hand forward, pleased when he found the answering hardness he had caused. As much as he wanted to be inside of Yami, Kaiba would never do that at the brothel—especially when he knew that Gozaburo was watching. "We should relocate," Kaiba suggested as he languidly stroked Yami's cock, mirroring the action with his tongue on his rival's sensitive neck.

Not needing to be told twice, Yami got out of the hot tub, shuddering as the early evening breeze chilled his skin. Obeying Kaiba's silent command to make himself comfortable on the grass, Yami didn't question when the brunette disappeared inside briefly to procure the necessary accessories. Besides, Kaiba didn't keep him waiting for long and Yami welcomed the return of warmth when his rival pressed close to him once more.

Although part of Kaiba wanted to enjoy the pleasures of Yami's body, he didn't particularly relish the taste of chlorine left over from the hot tub. He was having enough problems as it was suppressing the urge to take advantage of having Yami splayed so beautifully beneath him. The temptation was positively sinful with Yami's flushed cheeks and unabashed desire calling to Kaiba to claim what was rightfully his. Still, he resisted the urge and instead settled for just pressing close to Yami before stealing another languid kiss.

Impatience building, Kaiba hurriedly applied the condom onto Yami once more before easing himself onto his rival with a sigh. He knew better than to allow Yami to physically be the one on top under such circumstances; he would try too hard to be gentle to make up for earlier and Kaiba couldn't have Gozaburo citing that as evidence. It gave him more control over their actions, plus Kaiba just enjoyed the view. If there was one thing that he had missed from their last encounter, it was having the ability to see Yami unravel completely while he lost control.

After a few readjustments, Kaiba started to move at an easy rhythm to get things started. Yami matched the pace, although having the soft feeling of grass against his back was a bit strange. Still, it wasn't enough to distract Yami from the sight of Kaiba riding him in all of his naked glory or the feel of his touch. Yami loved the sensation of Kaiba's hands caressing him, even as they were bracing for leverage as the brunette dropped down hard with a low moan.

The experience completely captivated Yami and his hands wandered all over Kaiba's taunt body, loving the feel of it and the beautiful sound of his breathy moans. Yami surrendered himself to the moment, putting their previous coupling completely from his mind as he was drawn deeper and deeper into Kaiba, in all ways possible.

Compared to their previous actions, they were almost entirely silent this time, nothing louder than a gasp or a fractured moan of ecstasy that usually incited a responding one from the other. As much as Kaiba would have preferred it to last, he was still too worked up from the torrent of passions previously stirred and it was just too much to hold out against seeing Yami blissfully writhe under him. Kaiba wordlessly moaned as he finally found release, forcing his body to continue moving until Yami did the same.

Only then did Kaiba pause, his thighs trembling at Yami lightly ran his hands along the quivering muscles. He reveled in the sight beneath him, of Yami being marked with his essence and looking completely satisfied; it pleased Kaiba almost as much as what they had just done. There was only silence between them, but it was a peaceful one that was interrupted only by the wind and sounds of the nightlife coming alive as night drew closer. It was perfectly fine with Kaiba; after all, the brothel wasn't exactly a place for words. He finally forced himself to raise himself off of Yami, settling down next to him to take a brief rest before moving any further, even if the fake grass disturbed him somewhat.

They remained that way for a few moments, resting next to each other as they recovered from their exertion. For once it was Yami who started to move first and he looked over at Kaiba and hopefully asked, "Shower?" While the sight of him being covered in Kaiba's seed might have appealed to his rival, it just made Yami want to get clean after two consecutive rounds.

Chuckling at the fact he had influenced Yami's bathing habits, Kaiba consented, "Sure," as he forced his tired limbs to cooperate; it looked better to have the patron asking for it anyway. Leading Yami back inside to the bathroom, Kaiba started the water and entered only after it was sufficiently hot enough to provide decent steam coverage from the ever present cameras. Yami was quick to follow and shivered as the hot water hit his chilled skin.

Allowing Yami's precursory wash, Kaiba wasted no further time embracing his rival under the water spray. Yami wrapped his arms around Kaiba, tentatively holding him as he hid his face against the brunette's chest. It didn't matter that the water was falling on them; they remained silently entwined, taking silent solace from the moment in each other. Kaiba ran one of his hands along Yami's back before entangling it in his dampening hair that was losing its distinctive spikiness under the weight of water. Kissing his neck tenderly, Kaiba worked his way up to Yami's ear to murmur as softly as he dared, "Did that bastard hurt you?"

Safe in the shower from Gozaburo's influences for the time being, it felt like a world away and it took a moment for Yami to shake his head in response. Although Kaiba had expected to be relieved, it was hard to relax when he knew that Yami could be hiding something from him on a technicality of language. "Did he touch you?" Kaiba whispered, hiding his words through a nuzzle that made Yami shudder despite the seriousness of the inquiry.

"I'm fine," Yami whispered, kissing Kaiba on the closest part he could reach which was his cheek.

Closing his eyes with a soft sigh, Kaiba had to calm himself from his flare of hatred aimed at his adoptive father. Yami's non-answer told Kaiba everything he needed to know and he burned with a need for retribution that was in queue with all the rest of his numerous grievances against Gozaburo that had amassed over the years. "I don't believe you," Kaiba muttered as he lifted his head to look down at Yami and see if he could discern what wasn't being said.

Going up on his tiptoes and kissing Kaiba gently, Yami repeated, "I'm fine," with as much conviction as their hushed tones could convey.

Not daring to say the name out loud in case the teen had somehow managed to escape Gozaburo's attentions, Kaiba silently mouthed, "Yuugi?" Although he had been brusque with the teen at the time because of his primary focus, it occurred to him only later that something else might have happened with Yuugi since he was right there at the time of Gozaburo's appearance.

Yami's eyes went wide at Kaiba's perceptiveness, unaware of what the brunette had seen after his coerced departure. "I think so," Yami replied, but it lacked the certainty of his previous statement. "Do you think he would…?"

Shrugging, Kaiba said nothing else on the subject; Gozaburo was capable of doing many horrible and despicable things and he wouldn't put it past his adoptive father to go after Yuugi to try and force Yami to bend to his whims. Then again, Gozaburo was well-versed in knowing how to toe the line without successfully pushing someone over it, so maybe he knew better than to try and use Yuugi against Yami. It was the faintest of hopes, but it was all Kaiba could realistically expect to the contrary.

The stricken expression on Yami's face almost made Kaiba regret bringing up the topic, so he embraced his rival once more, as much to comfort him as himself. Pressing his lips to Yami's ears, Kaiba softly promised, "I'll do what I can," because that was all he _could _do. It was dangerous to allow himself to be manipulated by Gozaburo to protect Yami, but it was better than the alternative; as long as he could assert some control in the situation, he would be okay.

Closing his eyes with a soft noise of distress, Yami felt the dread settling into his soul at the prospects of what that might entail for the brunette. It made him hold onto Kaiba that much tighter with a desperation that alerted the taller teen to the path of Yami's thoughts. "_No_," Yami pleaded, too afraid of what that would mean for Kaiba to let him promise such a thing.

"I won't let him win," Kaiba growled, groping Yami's ass hard enough to earn a loud gasp that covered the sound of his rising irritation. "Not now, not _ever_."

It was so much more than what Kaiba was referring to in the present moment and Yami felt himself mentally flailing against being so useless in the situation. There had to be something he could do, something he could offer, but all Yami could manage was to hold tightly onto Kaiba as if that would somehow ground his rival, somehow keep the brunette close with him. When Yami tried to say something in response, Kaiba cut him off with a vicious kiss that contained the whole of his frustrations transmitted through a harsh passion that was entirely unlike the one they had shared on the balcony.

Yami's hands entangled themselves in brunette hair that was almost black from the water, holding on as he melted against Kaiba and just let it happen without questioning the motives. There was almost a hint of desperation in the needy way Kaiba was attempting to dominate, but Yami just gave himself over to it with a small whimper of shock when he was backed against cold shower tiles. It served as more leverage for Kaiba and he continued ravishing Yami against the wall, throwing himself into it with the full force of his emotions in an attempt to forget everything else. Yami was his and he wasn't going to let Gozaburo get away with such disturbing tricks again; he had no idea how to stop it, but he was going to do his best to try.

They were starting to get carried away and Yami was mindlessly rutting against the leg that had been thrust between his as his hands migrated from brunette hair for a far more tempting location. Firmly groping Kaiba's ass and using it to press their bodies closer, Yami keened at the loss when his hands were forced away and he growled in displeasure when they were forcibly pinned after a second attempt at transgression.

"Ready for that lesson now?" Kaiba murmured as he lightly teased the skin of Yami's neck with a nip that was just enough to feel and not enough to bruise. He was starting to forget himself as he got more and more worked up, but Kaiba was too caught up in Yami to give it any real thought.

It made Yami writhe against the wall, groaning in protest but unable to form the words to ask for more. Kaiba pulled back just enough to enjoy the sexually frustrated expression he had caused and his eyes roamed over Yami's body that was already reawakening with arousal. "Fuck, you look good in this position," Kaiba moaned, a predatory gleam in his eyes that made Yami's breath catch at the possibilities.

"And in many others I'm sure," came Gozaburo's voice from outside of the shower, causing them both to freeze. Kaiba's reaction was completely contained from his first initial jolt of shock, but Yami looked borderline panicked as he tried to shrink further against the wall and out of Gozaburo's line of sight.

As much as Kaiba wanted to coach Yami to not show his fear, he did not such thing; he could only offer the protection of his body to shield his rival. Squeezing Yami's wrists reassuringly before releasing him, Kaiba turned around to face his adoptive father and waited for further instruction. He could count on one hand the amount of times Gozaburo had ever interrupted a session and those were always when things had escalated to a point where interference by the owner was necessary; it had been at least two years since the last time an incident of that proportion had happened. Gozaburo had always waited until the last possible moment to enter, making Kaiba hate himself for feeling grateful when the bastard showed up and saved him from whatever situation was beyond his control. There had never been an occasion when Gozaburo had come in while everything was fine, though; it made Kaiba incredibly suspicious of his motives.

Gozaburo looked at Kaiba through the glass door with calculating eyes that made him shiver despite the heat of the shower. No good could come from the situation and Kaiba hated how Gozaburo was dragging out the moment to try and make him lose his composure. There was also a question of how much Gozaburo had managed to hear; Kaiba had no clue how long the man had actually been standing there, watching them. The battle of silence was ended when Gozaburo said, "I've come to collect you."

There was something ominous about the way Gozaburo had stated his desire and it made Kaiba worry about what was coming next. He had to bite down on the protest that they still had more time in their hour, knowing better than to point out such a thing to someone like Gozaburo. "Why?" Yami demanded, placing a trembling hand on Kaiba's lower back as he leaned forward to look around at Gozaburo.

"Because nonpaying people don't have the right to demand more time when someone with money comes along," Gozaburo informed him with a harsh laugh that echoed in the small bathroom.

Yami hated the reminder of someone else being with Kaiba; no matter how often he came to the brothel, he would never get over that feeling. "We had an agreement," Yami shot back, trying to find a way around the problem. Even though he knew that they were running low on time together, Yami still wanted to try and make it last; another minute spent with him was one less minute Kaiba had to spend with anyone else.

Looking from Yami to Kaiba, Gozaburo's eyes narrowed into an amused glint of cold steel as he questioned, "Would you keep Tanizaki waiting, boy?"

Kaiba's jaw tightened as the situation went from bad to worse; out of all his clients, Tanizaki was one of the ones he hated the most. The man had kinks that managed to make Kaiba cringe even after all the years of his employment and he had thought he was free from Tanizaki for awhile since he was out of the country for several months on business. "It would not be wise," Kaiba flatly stated, trying to ignore the reflexive move of Yami's hand on his back.

"Especially since he came back from Hong Kong just to see you," Gozaburo pointed out, watching Yami carefully to gauge his reaction. "Plus, he's less than a patient man."

_That's one way of putting it_, Kaiba grimly thought as he started trying to compartmentalize himself from the openness he had allowed himself with Yami.

"He's less inclined to wait than normal since he's here on special invitation," Gozaburo continued, confirming for Kaiba that there had been some outside interference on his adoptive father's part to bring that specific client back from abroad for such a thing.

_Does he have nothing else better to do with his time?_ Kaiba bitterly wondered as he automatically reached out and shut off the water.

Yami's quiet noise of protest sounded overly loud in the shower and Kaiba forced himself to ignore it. Without saying a word, Kaiba exited the shower, leaving Yami alone inside of it and hoping that if he at least obediently followed Gozaburo, his rival would be spared any further interactions with the older man. "Room Four, boy," Gozaburo ordered, although he didn't move from his position. Kaiba had no choice but to obey the command, daring to kill only enough time to go out to the balcony and retrieve his robe in the hopes that maybe by then Gozaburo would be finished with whatever conversation he was attempting to have with Yami.

Yami wanted to watch Kaiba leave, but he didn't dare take his eyes off of Gozaburo, especially since the shower door had been left open. He hated how Gozaburo's eyes travelled over him appraisingly; he was just grateful that the man's sudden appearance had killed any hint of arousal that he had been feeling. "You know, if you worked for me, Seto wouldn't have to see someone like Tanizaki alone," Gozaburo casually mentioned, knowing that the man in question would never object to an added party of Yami's caliber.

"I told you no," Yami growled as he took an aggressively defensive stance, trying to seem as confident as he could considering he was completely naked in a shower. "You're not going to change my mind."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Gozaburo commented before turning around and walking out of the bathroom.

As much as Yami wanted to grab a towel and follow, he was completely paralyzed in his emotions as he watched Gozaburo and Kaiba walk by the bathroom door and exit, not another glance spared in his direction. Only once he was certain that he was left alone did Yami allow his legs to give out on him as he slid down against the wall to sit on the floor. Hiding his face against his knees, Yami held back a groan as he tried to fight against the mess that was storming in his mind. He didn't know who the hell Tanizaki was, but it sounded less than good for Kaiba and it worried him to no end. Even if he asked the next day in school, Yami doubted that he would ever get the actual truth out of Kaiba.

Yami wasn't sure how long he had remained on the floor, but he was startled when he heard footsteps approaching. Snapping his head up to see who was intruding upon him, Yami relaxed when he saw that it was only Ishi coming to assist him. She crouched down and looked at him with as much sympathy and understanding as she dared to given the circumstances and her voice was kind as she asked, "Do you need help standing up, sir?"

"Shouldn't you be helping him?" Yami questioned, his voice barely louder than a whisper.

Normally Ishi would have helped Kaiba prepare for Room Four, as she had earlier, but Gozaburo had dismissed her when she had tried to take care of Kaiba. It hurt and she could only imagine what she would come back to find after Tanizaki left; it was a thought she had to put out of her mind for her own sanity. "I will later," was all she could promise Yami, holding her hand out to him. "I'm here for you now."

It was enough to make Yami really look at the woman and he felt his heart constrict at the genuine look of care in her unusually colored eyes. It felt cruel to reject her help after she so kindly offered it, but he was embarrassed enough as it was to point out, "Uhm…I'm naked, so…"

Despite the heaviness of her heart, Ishi's laugh was light and beautiful at his innocence. "I'll go get your clothes for you, then," she offered, standing up and walking out to the balcony to retrieve them even as Yami protested that she didn't need to do so. She brought them back and placed them next to the shower mat for Yami before leaving once more to wait for him outside in the bedroom.

Yami quickly threw on his clothes, feeling only marginally more comfortable to not be bared so completely before so many unexpected sets of eyes. He mumbled, "Thanks," to her as he exited the bathroom and felt himself relax marginally when she smiled at him once more. Even though he had no idea what was going on with Kaiba at the moment, he was surprised that there was actually some solace in the fact that Ishi would make sure that the brunette was okay after whatever would happen.

Nodding in acknowledgement, Ishi led Yami out of the room, her eyes unintentionally straying to the door that Kaiba was behind at the moment. Saying a silent prayer and hoping that Gozaburo hadn't made a miscalculation, Ishi continued to guide Yami to the elevator.

No matter how much Yami wanted to book time after the person with Kaiba now, he got the impression that would be a very bad idea. So he kept silent as he allowed himself to be escorted out of the building, trying to find some strength of conviction from Ishi's reassuring smile.

* * *

**A/N:** I'm officially over the 100,000 word mark on this one and over 400 reviews! Wow, I'm just genuinely floored by both of those things. Not bad for an idea I originally rejected, huh? I am humbled by your continued support!

I had a great time in Italy, thus you get a nice long chapter to make up for the long wait time. Although I guess, "nice," isn't really the right word for this one…

As I mentioned before, a lot of stuff in this mini-arc of sorts, so hang on for the rest of the ride. We've still got a ways to go.

The attitude is what really makes Kaiba remarkable in this chapter, his peculiar outlook on the situation that prevents this from the borderline of hurt/comfort. Also, I don't know why I'm so amused by the concept of Kaiba having a one sided conversation with Yami, but I am.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Running his thumb against Kaiba's lower lip, Gozaburo studied the teen critically for any signs of weakness as he murmured, "I wonder how far you would go to protect Yami?"_

Gozaburo keeps hijacking this damn story, but all is not in vain. Next chapter goes up on **Sunday, April 11th**, so check back then for more Forbidden fun!


	26. Chapter 26: Manipulations

**A/N:** If you've made it this far in the story, you probably don't need a warning for this chapter, but there is some **questionable content** here with some **disturbing implications**.

* * *

**Chapter 26: Manipulations **

Kaiba said nothing as he was led back to Room Four, the sheets already changed for what was about to happen. Although Kaiba would have preferred that Ishi be the one helping him, he tried to console himself that she was looking after Yami when he could not. It wasn't an ideal situation, but it was enough for the moment; Kaiba had more pressing things to worry about than Yami's fragile emotions.

"Surely I don't have to tell you to get on the bed," Gozaburo cruelly said with a sneer that warned Kaiba he was in more trouble than he had previously had thought.

_How much did he hear? _was the question that continued to echo in Kaiba's mind, making him fearful of what other reprisals he was going to face during the rest of the evening. Just as long as Yami got away, he would put up with it, but Kaiba was still shocked that Gozaburo had actually interrupted them. He shouldn't have been surprised, but it was still disturbing all the same. Even trying to find a bright side, there was little comfort in knowing that this time there was no actual need for interference, unlike the last time.

Silently obeying the command, Kaiba got onto the bed and complied when Gozaburo ordered, "On your back."

Staring up at the ceiling rather than looking to see what Gozaburo was doing, Kaiba wordlessly waited, knowing that something else was bound to happen before the man was done preparing him. He left his hands above his head, knowing they were the first things that were going to be restrained and Gozaburo wasted no time in binding them together with a series of elaborately erotic knots in black silk. Although the metal cuffs chaffed more than the ribbons, he was far less prone to losing circulation in his fingers with handcuffs. It was probably payback for Ishi's earlier kindness, but there was nothing that Kaiba could do about it now other than endure. As much as he wanted to blank his mind, he knew better than to try and separate himself when Gozaburo was still present; Kaiba always had to be on full guard around the older man—no lapses in judgment were allowed without serious consequences.

"It's a pity you aren't smart enough to always be this obedient," Gozaburo sarcastically commented, as he tightened the knot he was working on before attaching it to the headboard.

"You would get bored if I was," Kaiba commented, unable to stamp out the small flare of rebellion completely. Besides, if he could refocus Gozaburo's anger onto himself, then maybe it would distract the man from focusing too much on Yami.

"Such impudence," Gozaburo chuckled, patronizingly patting Kaiba's cheek and making the teen flinch from the hit he thought he was going to receive, "and yet so true." It thrilled him to see that the boy still feared him to an extent and Gozaburo smiled in a manner that sent a shiver of disturbance through Kaiba. "Did you really think you could get away with it?"

When Gozaburo sat on the edge of the bed, Kaiba realized that this was going to be a far longer conversation than he had previously expected; it made him suspect that Tanizaki wasn't actually there and waiting, because the man had never been patient enough to tolerate such delays—not even from the owner. "Otou-sama?" Kaiba questioned, knowing better than to start explaining when he didn't know what specifically Gozaburo was referring to.

"You didn't think I would realize what you were attempting to do?" Gozaburo rephrased, although that was hardly much more help. "You have yet to master the art of manipulation to the point where you can do it without escaping my notice, boy."

_That's what you think_, Kaiba venomously shot back in his mind, although he would never dare to voice such thought out loud. "I was providing the kind of encouragement he seemed to need," Kaiba defended himself in a neutral tone, carefully watching Gozaburo for a reaction to judge his next move.

"_This_," Gozaburo said as he slowly ran one of his hands along Kaiba's inner thigh for emphasis, "is all the encouragement that boy should need."

Kaiba had to clamp down on the feeling of revulsion Gozaburo's touch stirred within him and it took a supreme effort to prevent his voice from trembling as he explained, "I judged that he needed more than that."

"_Indeed_," Gozaburo replied, the single word laced with a level of dark perversion that made Kaiba shudder more than the hand that was continuing to dangerously trail close on its way up toward his torso.

Seeing that he was making progress, Kaiba continued using his self-derision as a front, "So I begged him like the whore he needs to think I am."

Smirking viciously as his hand wrapped around Kaiba's throat, Gozaburo stroked the sensitive flesh with his thumb in a threatening caress. "Don't you mean like the whore you _are_?" Gozaburo questioned as he leaned closer to study Kaiba with interest.

"Like the type of whore I should be," Kaiba replied, arguing semantics in the hopes of progress. Kaiba didn't believe a word of it, but it gave him power over Gozaburo for the man to think that he bought into it.

"So long as he doesn't forget that you _belong_ to me," Gozaburo murmured, finally moving his hand to caress Kaiba's face. "And if he ever dares to forget that, I will enjoy _breaking_ him."

Kaiba couldn't think about what "breaking" Yami entailed without his rage spiraling out of control, so he forced himself to ignore it for the moment. Besides, he had more important things to worry about with Gozaburo still talking, "Almost as much as I enjoy breaking you down..."

There was nothing for Kaiba to say to that, so he remained silent in the hopes that Gozaburo would either get bored and move on or continue to ramble and prevent himself from doing anything further. The silence bored Gozaburo and although he was pleased with the lack of reaction as evidence of his successful training, he wanted an actual response out of Kaiba.

Running his thumb against Kaiba's lower lip, Gozaburo studied the teen critically for any signs of weakness as he murmured, "I wonder how far you would go to protect Yami?"

Kaiba's heart was hammering with nervousness, thudding painfully over the touch, the threat, the look he was receiving from Gozaburo. It only got worse as Gozaburo continued, "What would you do to keep him _safe_?"

"Why would I care about his safety?" Kaiba dismissively replied, his face a careful mask of disdainful apathy.

"Because you know what I'm capable of," Gozaburo replied with a sinister laugh, once against caressing Kaiba's lower lip; he did so enjoy it when the boy pouted. "And because you're the one putting him in this situation, Seto."

Cold dread spread through Kaiba and he wanted to act even as his self-preservation instincts were telling him to remain still and unaffected. It galled him that there was some amount of truth to the claim, knowing that he hadn't exactly discouraged repeat visits that put Yami at increased risk of catching Gozaburo's attentions; Kaiba would accept the blame, but he refused to accept the guilt along with it.

Gozaburo could see the fight warring inside the teen, so he continued adding fuel to that already raging fire. "Or maybe the better question is," Gozaburo threatened as he once again let his hand trail back down Kaiba's torso before drifting lower still to slip a cockring onto his adopted son, "how far will Yami go to protect _you_?"

A feeling similar to the rush of emotions whenever Gozaburo threatened Mokuba crashed into Kaiba over Yami and he could only hope his adoptive father mistook the hitch in his breathing for a reaction to his physical actions. Kaiba could only imagine how much Yami would allow himself to be manipulated if he thought for even a moment that it would save the brunette; his rival had always been annoyingly self-sacrificing in that way. He couldn't allow it to happen, couldn't let Gozaburo have his way with Yami, but there wasn't a damn thing Kaiba could do about it at the moment.

"You know how much I love a good _challenge_," Gozaburo purred as he finally moved his hand away to rest on Kaiba's thigh. "And he's almost as stubborn as he is beautiful…"

Kaiba almost felt like if he allowed one single sound to slip past his lips, it would all come out in a torrent, so he stifled the urge as if his life depended on it; in fact, it very well could have given Gozaburo's whims. When Gozaburo got up and walked away, it gave Kaiba another moment to compose himself and he took a calming breath, knowing he had to shut it all away until he was alone and could properly plan something out; there was no way in hell he would ever let something like that happen.

Returning with a ball gag, Gozaburo ran his fingers almost lovingly along Kaiba's cheeks as he commented, "And yet he'll never be quite as stubborn and beautiful as you." It never failed to creep Kaiba out how one moment Gozaburo could be a menacing mastermind, the next moment a threatening pervert, and then switch to looking at him with a fatherly affection.

"Any final words?" Gozaburo prompted as he gestured with the ball gag, knowing that Kaiba would decline, even though some part of him wished the boy would say something. There was only so much enjoyment he could get out of taunting before it became boring without the fighting back that he thrived off of when it came to Kaiba.

"No, outou-sama," Kaiba dutifully answered, stamping out every emotion he felt as he tried to answer as neutrally as possible; he refused to give Gozaburo that victory.

Putting on the ball gag with a practiced hand, Gozaburo took the opportunity to lean down and murmur a perverse threat in Kaiba's ear, "You may make Yami moan, but I will make him _scream _before I'm through with him." When he heard Kaiba inhale sharply, Gozaburo laughed cruelly as he stood up and admired the sight of the teen gagged and bound, just waiting for someone to take advantage of him. It was a tempting image, the boy silently begging for a thorough debauchery, but that was a pleasure Tanizaki had reserved for the next several hours.

Once Gozaburo left the room, only then did Kaiba strain against the restraints in his rage, struggling against the very thought of what his adoptive father was suggesting. Mentally swearing and cursing Gozaburo, Kaiba huffed angrily; it was the most his restrictions would allow him to do at the moment and all the more he dared to do with cameras constantly rolling. Even as he was mentally railing against what had just happened and what Gozaburo was threatening to do, Kaiba knew he had to get himself under control. Closing his eyes, Kaiba tried to focus himself and calm down, knowing that he had a part to play when the next customer arrived.

He tensed when the door opened, but Kaiba forced himself to relax as the silent approach informed him that it was Ishi coming to finish up with any last minute specifications and specifications Tanizaki might have made. Opening his eyes to look at her, he carefully studied her face and felt an intense relief when she silently mouthed, "Gone," to let him know that Yami had safely made it away without further interference from Gozaburo. He couldn't imagine his adoptive father leaving the establishment to chase after the teen when he had such an important client waiting; the businessman in Gozaburo wouldn't allow such a thing. Besides, he had successfully made his point and there would be no benefit out of pushing Yami any further on the issue in one day.

Knowing she had to say something to avoid arousing suspicions, Ishi quietly informed Kaiba, "Tanizaki-sama had a few new requests," before explaining them emotionlessly in depth as she gathered the supplies from the wall, knowing that as much as she hated it, there was only so much she could do to protect the teen.

Resigning himself to the next few hours of kinks that would undoubtedly leave him exhausted and out of commission for the rest of the night at the very least, Kaiba started sealing himself off from what was going to happen. The issues around Yami had to also be put from his mind for the time being; it would have to be enough for now that he was at a safe distance from the brothel and Gozaburo's reach of influence.

* * *

**A/N:** I know, I know~. Like we really needed another reason to hate Gozaburo even more?

This serves as further evidence of why I probably shouldn't be allowed to write on airplanes. I'm going to blame the cabin pressure for this weird chapter…

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Are you offering to be my pillow?" Kaiba teased with a chuckle that made Yami blush as the brunette finally opened his eyes again and looked over at him. _

We're starting to come down from the intense high, but that's not to say things are going to slow down just quite yet…

Next chapter will be posted on **Sunday, April 18th** and hopefully you'll check back then and enjoy the sweeter moment this starts to lead to!


	27. Chapter 27: Comfort

**A/N:** There's an **important announcement** about **next week's update**, so please be sure to read the note at the **end of the chapter**.

* * *

**Chapter 27: Comfort**

It took a supreme effort for Yami to remain seated on top of his desk as he absentmindedly observed his friends interactions. He was worried beyond comprehension over what might have happened to Kaiba after he had been forced to leave the brothel prematurely the previous night and the fear of untold horrors had been gnawing away at Yami ever since. It didn't help that Kaiba had yet to arrive, despite usually being the first one in class. _Where is he?_ Yami continued wondering, nervously toying his bottom lip with his teeth as his eyes strayed to the door every time it opened and another student entered homeroom.

The relief that Yami felt when Kaiba finally entered the room was short lived when he noticed the change in Kaiba's demeanor. Although his arrogance was as present as ever, his posture was a little too rigid and his normally fluid movements had a certain slowness to them that troubled Yami, that feeling growing exponentially when Kaiba gingerly took his seat and remained ramrod straight. He wanted to go over and talk to Kaiba, but he knew that was the wrong course of action, especially since the brunette had escaped Jounouchi's attentions despite the telltale signs of Yami's distraction.

Kaiba could tell that he hadn't escaped Yami's notice by the way his rival's eyebrows were furrowed with a slight frown of disapproval on his face. His condition wasn't up for discussion, but Kaiba knew that wouldn't stop Yami from trying to find out more than he ever wanted—or needed—to know. Rather than concerning himself with it further, Kaiba blanked his mind as homeroom started, ignoring the troubled glances Yami kept sneaking as the rest of the period commenced.

* * *

As soon as homeroom was dismissed, Yami hurriedly packed up his things and went over to Kaiba's desk, not sure that he wanted to ask the questions and hear the answers that would be almost as bad as the events that led to the situation. Kaiba didn't acknowledge Yami's presence with anything more than a nod as he led the way to their next class, very conscious of the scarlet eyes that were silently assessing him as they walked up the stairs together. Therefore, it didn't come as much of a surprise to feel Yami's hand gently urging him out of the flow of students and into the relative privacy of the stairway alcove.

"Seto," Yami softly breathed, the name turning into a question itself as he resisted the temptation to touch his rival inappropriately in public.

"Don't do this," Kaiba warned, not wanting to put up with it now, if at all. Although Kaiba's resolve weakened slightly as Yami silently pleaded with his beautiful boudreaux eyes, he stood his ground as he gestured for them to head back to class.

Even though Yami didn't want to leave things as they were, he could understand the issue of time constraints as the steady stream of students thinned to but a trickle of stragglers. "Not now," Yami agreed, pleasing Kaiba with his immediate victory over the situation, even if he knew he wasn't completely free of the awkward conversation that was merely being postponed.

Although he didn't feel entirely at ease with the results, it was a little easier to accept as Kaiba placed his hand on the small of Yami's back and guided him back into the flow of students toward history class before letting go. It was hard to ignore the careful way Kaiba slid into his seat, but Yami forced himself to focus on the warmth of the brunette's touch that lingered.

* * *

It wasn't until lunch that the two teens managed to escape for some private time alone, making Yami feel very grateful to the drizzling rain that discouraged other students from coming up to the roof. He looked expectantly up at Kaiba as they stood under the overhang, causing the brunette to ask with a small amount of exasperation, "And what would you have me say?"

"What happened after I left?" Yami suggested as he took a seat in the small dry space available to them.

Sitting next to Yami and gritting his teeth against the twinges of pain that shot through him, Kaiba waved it away, "It's not of any importance."

"Bullshit," Yami automatically replied, refusing to accept such a blatant lie. "Who the fuck is Tanizaki?"

"Jealous?" Kaiba teased, trying to take a lighter route than the far darker one Yami was trying to head them down with his line of questions.

"Apparently," Yami replied, surprising them both with his seriousness, "and concerned, too. They hurt you."

Assuming that the "they" Yami was referring to included Gozaburo as well, Kaiba merely shrugged it off, "Part of the job hazards."

"Seto," Yami tried again, that pleading note in his voice still having the same effect on Kaiba.

"You don't need to know," Kaiba firmly said as he resisted the natural instinct to lean against the wall, also trying to ignore the dull throbbing hurt that echoed throughout him. "Just accept that for what it is."

Making a disgruntled noise, Yami mulled over the best course of pursuit and Kaiba had to admit he was somewhat surprised that his rival had chosen to fixate on Tanizaki rather than what had happened between them. "I can't," Yami softly refused, looking over at Kaiba through his bangs. "Not knowing is worse than the alternative."

"And I'm telling you it's not," Kaiba stated as he continued staring straight ahead into the rain that greyed out the world.

"What, am I just supposed to be okay with that?" Yami indignantly demanded.

"You don't have any more choice in the matter than I do," Kaiba replied, his voice sounding flat even to his own ears. "I'm asking you to leave it alone."

Yami's immediate protests were brought to a halt by Kaiba's request, his scarlet eyes darkened with a sadness that he knew he could never express. Ignoring his instincts that told him to remain still, Yami leaned over and embraced Kaiba tightly, hiding his face against the brunette's shoulder. Kaiba could feel his rival shivering in a way that had nothing to do with cold or pleasure and he felt a pang of unknown emotions trying to make themselves known to no avail. Bringing up one of his hands to rest on Yami's arms, Kaiba accidentally reiterated, "_Please_," in the softest of whispers as he allowed the contact.

The whole situation just felt hopeless to Yami and he pleaded, "What can I do? Tell me what I can do, Seto."

"Stay away," Kaiba replied, the strength returned to his voice as if it had never been gone.

Reflexively holding on tighter to Kaiba, Yami fiercely refused, "I'm not going to leave you—"

"That's not what I'm asking you to do," Kaiba said, shocking himself more than Yami. He had never expected such words to fall so easily from his mouth when he meant it sincerely. "I can't risk you at the brothel or—"

"I didn't go there voluntarily!" Yami protested, pulling back enough to look at Kaiba. "I wouldn't break my promise to you, let alone—"

Cutting off Yami before he went any further into his indignant tirade, Kaiba continued, "I know he brought you there—"

"And what about if he does it again?" Yami asked, not putting it past the man. "If he tries to threaten Yuugi to—"

"He's not going to use Yuugi against you when he knows I have more power over you," Kaiba rationalized, knowing that Gozaburo derived no pleasure in manipulating the easy targets.

Yami's first instinct was to argue back, but the statement made him stop and look at Kaiba in confusion. Kaiba snickered at the expression, causing Yami to immediately start scowling. Instead of belaboring the point further, Yami asked, "What does he want with me anyway? It's not like he has a shortage of…employees."

"You intrigue him," Kaiba answered, as if it were as simple as that. Kaiba could completely understand Gozaburo's fascination with Yami; it wasn't as if he himself were immune from the effect.

"So?"

"So he wants to possess you," Kaiba said, the words leaving a bad taste in his mouth.

"Like he possesses you," Yami retorted, his tone filled with sadness rather than accusation.

Shrugging instead of verbalizing his response, Kaiba didn't bother pointing out the differences to Yami. There was no point in dwelling on the issue, so Kaiba moved on, "I can't promise he won't confront you again, but avoid him if you can. There's only so much Ishi and I can do to protect you from him without endangering ourselves in the process."

"I can trust her even though she works for that bastard?" Yami asked, although it was weird to realize he already did trust her to some extent. He hadn't forgot the way she had fought against admitting Jounouchi into the room that night and Yami knew that the woman took care of Kaiba in her own way.

"I do," Kaiba said with a wry grin, knowing without a doubt where her true loyalties were. "She can't directly disobey him, but she's damn good at subverting his authority with her naïve act when it comes to my benefit."

"That's good to know," Yami commented, although he wasn't really sure what to do with the information other than save it as a reminder that she would help out when she could.

Making a noise of agreement, Kaiba closed his eyes with a quiet sigh at the adverted topic. He was exhausted and just didn't feel up to playing any games; he had enough of that at work. Of course, Yami still wasn't entirely deterred from the previous conversation and brought it back up in the ensuing silence, "You're not going to tell me about Tanizaki, are you?"

"Correct," Kaiba confirmed, determined to make sure that Yami never had anything further to do with the deviant.

Accepting it despite his frustration, Yami looked over Kaiba with a critical eye. As much as he wanted to continue talking to Kaiba, Yami could clearly see the exhaustion that the brunette was trying so desperately to hide and failing. "Uh, do you want to, like, take a nap or something?" Yami awkwardly suggested.

"Are you offering to be my pillow?" Kaiba asked with a chuckle that made Yami blush as the brunette finally opened his eyes again and looked over at him.

"Sure?" Yami agreed, although there was a note of uncertainty in his voice, as if he couldn't quite tell if Kaiba was making fun of him or not.

It was easier than talking and Kaiba forced his tired and aching body to stretch out on his side as he borrowed Yami's lap for a pillow. Shimmying a bit until he got comfortable, Kaiba finally looked up at Yami and was amused by the perplexed expression that was staring right back at him. "I'm really okay," Kaiba found himself reassuring Yami as he reached up and stroked the side of his rival's face with a tenderness that surprised them both. "Besides, worrying about it like this means he's won."

Leaning into the caress before kissing Kaiba's palm and releasing him, Yami realized that he had no choice but to let the issue go; it wasn't like he could do anything about it anyway. Although it wasn't what he wanted to say, Yami told him, "Get some rest," and settled into silence.

Although the rain and his physical condition were enough to quickly lure Kaiba into sleep, he found himself lingering in consciousness as Yami absentmindedly ran his fingers through brunette hair. "I'm not a cat," Kaiba muttered, despite having no real objections to the petting; it was kind of nice, actually.

"Do you want me to stop?" Yami asked, although his fingers didn't still from their languid movements.

"Hn," was the only response Kaiba gave before he finally let sleep overtake him, lulled by the gentle touch and falling rain.

Although it was tempting to join Kaiba in sleep, Yami contented himself to just watching the teen sleep. It was a rare experience and Yami marveled at how relaxed Kaiba seemed and at how surprisingly comfortable the experience was. He was still deeply concerned by the whole situation, but for that moment, it was only them and the rain and Yami could keep Kaiba safe from Gozaburo as he held him on the roof. It wasn't much, but it was enough for the time being.

Yami's mind wandered aimlessly as he continued observing Kaiba; it was probably a little creepy of him, but he couldn't help but admire the teen's beauty and the meaning of that trust that allowed him to lower his guard in such a manner. Sitting on the rooftop watching his rival sleep in the rain was in some ways more surreal than what had happened between them the day before and Yami wondered if he would ever get used to their stolen moments.

With his mind adrift to such a degree, Yami was startled by the warning bell that sounded and shattered their silence. Kaiba was jolted awake by it, needing a moment to assess his surroundings before relaxing. "Already?" he questioned as he held up his wrist to look at the time to confirm. "Damn, you make a better pillow than I thought."

"Who knew?" Yami retorted, as he leaned down and kissed Kaiba sweetly.

Kaiba indulged himself despite the awkward position before standing up and stretching with a grace that Yami couldn't help but admire, making him blind to the small wince of pain it caused the teen. He loved the long, lithe lines of Kaiba's body that were such a stark contrast to his own shortness, but Yami knew better than to tell the brunette that; no need to stroke his already inflated ego.

As they gathered up their things and started their return to their classes, Kaiba said over his shoulder, "By the way, I have something to give you after history."

"Oh?" Yami questioned, his curiosity immediate piqued at the possibilities, even though he didn't have a clue as to where to start guessing.

"Indeed," Kaiba purred with a wink that made Yami's heart beat that much quicker.

* * *

The rest of the day had passed without event, although Yami spent a fair amount of time distracted by the promise Kaiba had made earlier in the afternoon. It was pointless to try and make conjectures without a frame of reference; there was no precedence in their relationship for such things.

Trying to hide his eagerness once class was dismissed, Yami quickly packed up his texts and met Kaiba at his desk. He obeyed when Kaiba silently gestured for him to follow and Yami had to muffle a noise of surprise when he was pulled into a conference room to escape the hallways that were already packed with noisy students.

Slamming him hard against the door, Kaiba ravished Yami's mouth with reckless abandon, startling the pinned teen before he gave himself over to it. When they parted, Yami breathlessly asked, "Was that the surprise?"

"I never promised you a surprise," Kaiba pointed out as he ran his hands down Yami's back, the effect ruined by the thick school uniform jacket, "I just said I had something to give to you."

Rolling his eyes at the technicality, Yami prompted, "Then?"

"Are you busy tomorrow?"

"No," Yami answered, confused by the seemingly simple question, before it clicked in his mind and left him in disbelief. "Wait, are you asking me out on a _date?"_

Slipping his hands over Yami's ass and into his back pockets, Kaiba left a note in one of them, squeezing the cheek for emphasis as he warned with a playful wink, "Don't be late," and parted with a quick kiss before leaving behind a very confused rival.

"What the hell?" Yami muttered, finding his answer when he reached into his back pocket. Pulling out the sheet of paper that Kaiba had left for him, Yami unfolded it and looked down when a keycard fell to the floor. Picking it up and looking it over, Yami wondered why Kaiba had gone to such lengths when he could have just said something instead. Glancing at the address, Yami wasn't familiar with the immediate area, but it wasn't hard to surmise Kaiba's intentions based on the small white plastic card he was holding.

Finding it more than just a bit odd, Yami shrugged it off as he put them into his bag to be dealt with later.

* * *

**A/N:** Okay, so I'm getting ready to hit finals and I've got about 50+ pages that I need to write between now and May for my grad classes. I'm going to try and keep updating despite that—because when I'm procrastinating on school work, I magically get hit with ideas for fics in attempts at escapism—but that means I have to post something a little closer to finished.

That means that instead of updating Forbidden next week, I'm going to conclude **View from the Other Side** instead. It's about time, right? I know some of you might be frustrated by this, but that other story has languished for so long and since I wrapped it up earlier this week, I feel like it's a good time to post it.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_I have you to protect," Kaiba replied as he reached out and tenderly stroked Yami's cheek. "What other choice do I have?"_

Probably not the typical date you were envisioning, but it should be a pretty moving chapter if I've done it right.

So the **next posting** is going to be **View from the Other Side: Chapter 03** on **Sunday, April 25th**. And provided everything goes well on my final term papers, that means the **next Forbidden update** _should_ be on **Sunday, May 2nd**. Given the questionable status of my current schedule, **news updates and delays will be posted on my livejournal**. So if you don't see something here, drop by there and your question will be answered. But like I said, I'm going to do my best not to make you guys wait too much longer!


	28. Chapter 28: Glass

**A/N:** There is a **significant and lengthy lemon** in this chapter, so enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter 28: Glass**

When Yami had received the keycard, he had naturally assumed that it would be a love hotel or somewhere that they could have a quick hook up before Kaiba had to go to work. He had not expected it to be the exclusive and very expensive high rise in one of the richest parts of the area, the so-called Domino City for the way the buildings alternated like a downward grade stack of dominoes.

Feeling woefully underdressed and out of his class, Yami approached the building with trepidation, almost painfully aware of how much he did not fit in to the posh surroundings. Sliding the keycard into the slot of the elevator, Yami was surprised when it automatically took him to the third floor from the top of the luxury highrise.

Taking a deep steadying breath, Yami exited the elevator and walked over to the room, knocking on the door before opening it with his key card when there was no answer. Looking around for any trace of Kaiba before entering, Yami stepped in and called out, "Hello," as he toed off his shoes, uncertain of what was happening.

Much like the interior of the balcony room of the brothel, the apartment was sparsely decorated in a minimalist style comprised of black leather, cold stainless steel, and glass. There was no sense of the large apartment being lived in; it might as well have been another impersonal room at Kaiba Corporation.

"Seto?" Yami said a little louder as he took a few steps toward the center of the room.

Yami didn't feel comfortable wandering around without permission, so it was a relief to hear Kaiba faintly reply, "Back here."

Heading in the direction of Kaiba's voice, Yami entered a large bedroom with the bed prominently featured in the center of a room made out of glass; the walls were frosted for privacy, but there was a full panorama of the city below them. It easily would have caught Yami's interest if it weren't for the sight of Kaiba in a plain white button down shirt and tight blue jeans standing next to the windows drinking water. Despite being such a simple thing Yami was entirely captivated by the image.

Setting the water bottle on the nightstand, Kaiba approached Yami with a smirk that made the crimson eyed teen shiver with anticipation over what was to come. Much like Yami had appreciated the view, Kaiba's eyes lingered over his rival's lithe body, accentuated by a tight black beater and jeans.

Sounding a little nervous as Kaiba continued silently observing him, Yami broke the silence by asking, "So, uh…do you live here?"

"No," Kaiba replied, amused by the anxious fidgeting he was causing Yami to do. "I crash here on the rare occasion I can…escape."

It was an odd thing to say and Yami accidentally clarified, "So someone else lives here?"

"No," Kaiba repeated, just for the fun of making Yami squirm, "but I have an agreement with the owner to use it whenever I can."

"Sounds like there's more to it than that," Yami commented, not exactly sure if he wanted to know more about it. He could easily imagine a rich client letting Kaiba stay there and use his body to pay the rent, but Yami couldn't think like that; it was too upsetting of a prospect.

Shrugging as he wrapped an arm around Yami's waist, Kaiba said, "Just a case of your typical blackmail."

"Typical…_blackmail_?" Yami repeated, finding the concept somewhat disturbing, especially if it implied that there was an _atypical_ form of manipulation.

Grinning wolfishly as he slipped a hand under the beater, Kaiba explained, "I may or may not have implied that the owner's son visited Kaiba Corporation and that I had photographic evidence to prove it."

"His son is your client?" Yami questioned, the words giving him an unpleasant feeling.

"No, but it was convenient for me to have the owner think otherwise," Kaiba replied with a wicked expression that kind of turned on Yami at the same time as it repulsed him with the implication. It had been an unexpected gift from Mai and it was a reminder of one of the reasons why he put up with her excessive personality. "I get to live here, no questions, no money, no chance of discovery."

"Gozaburo doesn't know about this place?" Yami asked in surprise, finding it hard to believe that anything could be kept a secret from the disturbingly perceptive older man.

"No one else does," Kaiba confirmed, "and I intend to keep it that way."

Nervously biting his lower lip, Yami wanted to ask if that meant he was the only person Kaiba had ever brought to the apartment, but once again, he wasn't sure what he would do with an answer. "Then why me?" Yami finally settled on asking.

"Why, indeed," Kaiba commented before indulging in a slow kiss, taking his time in exploring Yami's mouth.

Yami finally reached out with uncertain hands to hold Kaiba's hips, still unsure about what was happening or why. The tenderness confused Yami, only serving to cloud his mind and his judgment. He knew that he should try and get answers before they got too involved, but common sense was losing against Kaiba's persuasive oral argument.

Breaking apart was more of a challenge than it should have been and Kaiba stripped Yami out of his black beater, tossing it to the side as he started trailing kisses along his rival's neck. Yami shuddered at the sensation paired with Kaiba's strong hands slowly running down his back. He made a startled noise when Kaiba firmly grabbed his ass and pulled him closer, slowly grinding against him. "I think you know why," Kaiba stated with another hard grope that left no question of his intentions.

It took a moment for Yami to remember what Kaiba was talking about, but he breathlessly replied, "Oh," when he realized what was being said. "Well, yeah, I mean, I sort of assumed…"

"Then why are we still talking?" Kaiba asked as he started another round of kisses down the other side of Yami's neck.

Yami had plenty of reasons why, but none that Kaiba would want to hear. Instead of protesting further, Yami started to undo the buttons on Kaiba's shirt. Kaiba rumbled approvingly, working on the buttons of Yami's jeans and sliding them off to the floor.

When Yami returned the favor, his breath hitched when he realized that Kaiba wasn't wearing any underwear. "I'm amazing you were wearing any clothes at all," Yami muttered, teasingly running his fingers over Kaiba's already rigid arousal.

Chuckling at Yami's statement, Kaiba said nothing in response as he slid off the last article of clothing standing between him and his goal. He had been looking forward to enjoying his time with Yami away from the prying eyes and time constrains. Despite still being sore from Tanizaki's last session, Kaiba wouldn't let it stop him from making the most out of their stolen time together.

Offering no resistance as Kaiba led them over to the oversized bed, Yami fell onto it with a bit of a bounce before moving to the center of it. Kaiba was quick to join him, crawling over top of Yami on all fours and caging him in place. Their kisses became more passionate and Yami wrapped his arms around Kaiba's neck to hold on as their desires started to escalate. "How long do we have?" Yami panted when they parted.

"So ready for it to be over?" Kaiba teasingly questioned as he lightly nipped at Yami's neck in disapproval.

"No, but I just wanted to know how much time we had left," Yami explained with a pout, somewhat miffed that Kaiba would assume that was his intention.

"About six hours," Kaiba told him, shocking Yami.

Tilting his head as he looked up at Kaiba, Yami repeated in disbelief, "Six hours?"

"Mm," Kaiba confirmed as he moved down from Yami's neck to his chest.

"But don't you have to…uh, go to work?" Yami awkwardly asked, squirming a little under Kaiba's touch.

"Not tonight," Kaiba replied, almost as pleased by that fact as the fact that Gozaburo was already gone for early preparations.

Even though Yami was glad, it still seemed to be an abnormal situation. "Is everything okay?" Yami asked, momentarily distracted from the pleasure by his concerns.

Lightly tugging on Yami's nipple with his teeth to refocus his rival's attention, Kaiba said, "It's fine, now shut up and let's make the most of our time."

"Okay," Yami agreed through a groan, his body reacting favorably to the way that Kaiba lathed his tongue against the abused peak in silent apology for his roughness.

Thoroughly satisfied with the shift in attitudes, Kaiba continued on with his languid explorations, taking time he normally didn't have to kiss every mole and mark on Yami's tan skin. He could never get enough of the way that Yami's body undulated underneath him, the way that his rival's moans would get caught in his throat as a needy keen. Kaiba burned with a possessive passion every time those scarlet eyes silently pleaded with him for more; he never wanted another to have the pleasure of seeing Yami's wanton desires, never wanted another to have the chance to fulfill them so long as he was around to do so. It pained him to know that Gozaburo had ever laid eyes on Yami's bare form, to know that despite his best efforts, his rival had still been violated in such a manner by his adoptive father. It sparked his rage in ways his own treatment failed to inspire within him to know that Gozaburo had touched Yami, had tried to take what was rightfully his in an attempt to sway the teen to his side. Kaiba found it downright deplorable and he knew he would do whatever it would take to keep Yami untainted by that bastard's machinations.

Yami could sense the almost desperation of Kaiba's actions, the war between wanting to take his time to enjoy the pleasure or to lay claim to him in a fast and furious fuck. "Seto?" Yami prompted, even as he panted from the way Kaiba was suckling on one of his hipbones.

"What?" Kaiba responded, his voice coming out as a dark growl that sent a shudder through Yami.

"Are you sure everything is okay?" Yami asked, even though he knew it would probably annoy Kaiba.

Kaiba was about to snap in response until he realized just how hard he was gripping Yami out of his possessiveness, how close he was to leaving another mark as if that would ward off Gozaburo's interests rather than attract it. Loosening his hold on Yami and kissing the reddened area of skin that he had been mercilessly teasing as if to placate it, Kaiba sighed heavily as he nuzzled his rival's hip in silent apology. "It will be," Kaiba said, knowing that his plans were almost in place.

Running his fingers through Kaiba's hair, they remained still for a moment despite their passions. Kaiba allowed the comforting contact before he moved away from it in order to slide further down Yami's body. There were no more questions after that as Kaiba ran his tongue along Yami's erection and chased all other thoughts away when he felt that warm mouth on him. Yami's grip on Kaiba's hair tightened as he felt himself slide in deeper, but he relaxed his hand and caressed the brunette instead. Yami writhed under the treatment, trying to be mindful not to thrust too hard or deep into that welcoming, slick warmth that he loved. When Kaiba started toying with his balls before letting his fingers slide further down to caress Yami's sensitive perineum, he instinctively spread his legs further apart in preparation for what he knew would come next.

Whereas Yami once found the stretching awkward, he now welcomed it for what it meant was coming next and he groaned not from pain, but from the disappointment that it was taking so long to prepare him. Kaiba made a noise of amusement as his slicked fingers slid into Yami, accommodating the strong buck of Yami's hips that he knew was coming from the combined sensations. Yami was already moaning, "Seto," like a mantra, stroking Kaiba's ego just as he was stroking the inside of his rival, coaxing his body into compliance.

"Please," Yami groaned, hating that it always seemed to take forever when he was allowed to just burry himself in Kaiba without a thought.

Not for the first time did Kaiba consider introducing some sex toys into the mix, but he wasn't sure he was ready for Yami to be at that point just yet, even if he knew beyond a doubt that his rival would probably enjoy some of them. There was something refreshing about Yami's relative naivety given the clientele he normally dealt with at the brothel; the rare vanilla encounter was a welcome change of pace from some of the crazier kinks he was required to oblige.

Although he briefly considered denying Yami's release just to see how he would react, Kaiba dismissed it as overly cruel given his intentions for their afternoon. Curling his fingers inside of his rival to apply the right amount of pressure that had Yami crying out his name while hitting his climax solved Kaiba's dilemma and he swallowed it all, pulling his fingers free at the same time.

Even though Yami felt great after finding release, he felt almost disturbingly empty without Kaiba inside of him. He shifted uncomfortably as Kaiba put on a condom and Yami tried to ignore the need to be filled, knowing that the brunette wouldn't deny him.

Kaiba could clearly tell that Yami was trying to hide his need and it made the brunette chuckle to himself once again. When Yami tried to wrap his legs around Kaiba's waist, he guided them up higher and over his shoulder to avoid the strain on his back as he entered his rival with a shudder of pleasure. As always, Kaiba waited for a few shallow thrusts until he was certain that Yami could handle more and he started an easy, but hard, rhythm. Only then did Kaiba hold on to Yami's thighs for leverage, thrusting deeper and making his rival cry out in the heights of pleasure. As they continued, he had almost bent Yami in half and was taking him hard and fast, which hadn't been his original intention, but Kaiba couldn't stop himself. Yami's gasps were spurring Kaiba on and he was powerless to deny his rival anything as he whimpered for more.

When Yami managed to dig one of his heels into Kaiba's back through his contortions, the brunette grimaced and moved it back into place. Yami noticed, but misunderstood the cause, apologizing breathlessly as he continued to move in time with Kaiba. After it happened a second time due to Kaiba readjusting their position, he decided it was time to change things up a bit.

Pulling out and leaning back on his calves, Kaiba gently guided Yami's legs onto the bed and it was immediate cause for concern to the crimson eyed teen. "Seto?" Yami asked uncertainly, finding the stop unorthodox enough to be troubled by it.

Kissing him in reassurance, Kaiba murmured, "Turn over," and hoped that his rival wouldn't argue with him too long.

It was a position that had bad associations for Yami because of what happened the last time at the brothel and he hesitated for that reason. "I'm not sure…" Yami started to protest, but trailed off when he saw the look in Kaiba's eyes.

"Trust me," Kaiba entreated Yami, helping him roll over onto his knees when he finally decided to comply.

Running his hands along Yami's unmarred back, Kaiba took a moment to appreciate the view and subtly stretch before lining himself up and slowly sliding back inside of that tight heat. Yami had expected more of the same, but there was a slight difference in feeling that had him tensing, even as Kaiba tried to use his hands to relax his body. Once Kaiba was all the way inside, he asked before proceeding, "Okay?"

Shifting forward slightly on his forearms and clenching his muscles around the length buried inside of him, causing Kaiba to hiss slightly at the unexpected movement, Yami agreed, "Sure," and uncertainly waited for what was next.

Kaiba could still feel some of the tension in Yami's body, but rather than trying to talk it out of him, he decided that a physical demonstration would go far further convincing him than words ever could. Sliding out almost to the tip before pushing in slowly once more, Kaiba gripped Yami's hips before pulling out and plunging in deep without warning. He heard the note of pleasure in the confused noise that Yami made over the unexpected sensation and Kaiba didn't let himself be deterred.

Picking up his relentless pace from earlier, Kaiba started mercilessly aiming with a precession that had Yami clenching the sheets in his hands as he was driven forward onto his forearms, too far gone to feel embarrassed for crying out, "Oh, yes! Seto—_oh_! Come on, right there, yes! Fuck, Seto!"

Smirking in victory, Kaiba continued to assault Yami's pleasure point with relentless accuracy that had quickly managed to reduce his rival to loud, wordless moans. It only got better as Yami pushed back hard onto him, endearing himself further to Kaiba through his erotic incoherency; he loved being able to reduce his rival to nothing but mindless hormones despite his occasional insecure protest. Besides, it pleased him that his real name was one of the few words Yami seemed capable of remembering, even when at the heights of bliss.

Yami was trembling with the force of his arousal, his eyes closed as he panted for breath and just tried to hold on as Kaiba skillfully manipulated his body for the maximum enjoyment value. It went a long way to dissolving some of his previous guilt for what he had done to Kaiba in that position in the S&M room, but that thought wouldn't be processed until much later. He could only think about his want, need, desire, passion for Kaiba and what he was doing, but that didn't stop his mouth from babbling disconnected nonsense in his lusty haze. He felt close to collapse, his muscles quivering as he continued writhing beneath Kaiba's strong thrusts that felt like they were hitting deeper and truer every time.

When Kaiba grasped Yami's erection and started to stroke it in time to his thrusts, Yami climaxed for a second time with a gasp that got caught in his throat as his whole body almost violently reacted. It reduced Yami to nothing, stealing away the last of his strength with the sheer overwhelming force of it all. He was vaguely cognoscente of the fact that Kaiba still hadn't cum, but Yami couldn't get his body to cooperate and move with the same energy to completion.

Under any other circumstance, Kaiba might have been irritate d by the reaction, but there were few things more gratifying to his ego than being able to fuck Yami until he didn't want to move. That was its own form of pleasure and he caressed Yami's sides to comfort him even as Kaiba took the interim to regain his composure; he wasn't that far from climaxing himself.

Yami continued trying to recover his breath as he rested his face on his forearms, shivering at the little jolts of pleasure Kaiba's touch was causing him to experience. He felt hypersensitive and Yami could only moan softly, gasping when his body responded to Kaiba's rigidness that was still buried deep inside of him. "Seto," was the only thing that Yami could say and all it earned him was a shushing from Kaiba.

Spreading his legs a little further apart, Kaiba leaned forward and shuddered when he felt Yami's body instinctively clench around him. "Come on, Yami," Kaiba gently coaxed, earning him a groan of protest, even as Yami allowed himself to be helped into a sitting position.

Guiding Yami to lean back against his chest, Kaiba held onto him and kissed the side of his rival's neck. "I can't," Yami whispered, his body revolting against him, trying to take Kaiba deeper into him regardless. He was completely spent and the possibility of moving, let alone in a new position, just wasn't happening.

"I've got you," Kaiba murmured against Yami's shoulder, embracing his rival tightly while waiting for him to gather his bearings.

Melting into Kaiba's hold, Yami sighed softly as he tried to force any one part of his body to get under his control. But he couldn't stop his legs from quivering, couldn't stop his body from trembling from the sheer exertion of it all, couldn't make himself not want to bring Kaiba to his own end despite all of that. Rather than protesting further, Yami just focused on trying to recover his breath at the very least.

When Kaiba felt Yami relax completely against him, only then did the brunette move with just a gentle upward thrust to test his rival's reaction. One of Yami's hands scrambled to find purchase in brunette hair, the other holding onto Kaiba's arm that was still embracing him. It wrung a soft whimper out of Yami, but it wasn't one of pain, but rather one of a plea for mercy; the pleasure was just too much.

Even though Kaiba had been trained into preferring a harder rhythm, he was thoroughly enjoying the slow, gentle one he was attempting to establish. "Hold out just a little bit longer," Kaiba murmured, surprised when Yami turned back and kissed him tenderly on the lips. It was broken apart when Kaiba resumed a slow pace, relying on his own strength to help move Yami's hips when he was unable to continue from the previous overload.

Even though Yami could have sworn that his body couldn't take anymore, it willingly accommodated Kaiba. Hearing the way that Kaiba was saying his name, so softly it felt like an audible caress that was as tender as his hands traversing Yami's torso, helped give him the will to move, even if he was already incapable of a physical state of arousal.

Kaiba was utterly entranced by the way Yami's body moved with his, making a mental note to try the position when his rival wasn't so completely and utterly spent. True to his word, he came after only a few more minutes, moaning Yami's name beautifully against his skin before stilling at last. They remained like that for longer still, Kaiba finally wrapping both arms around Yami and embracing him properly as he shifted further back onto his legs. Kaiba closed his eyes and sighed softly as he indulged in the moment that was so often denied to him and he refused to let go of it now that he finally had found it in his rival; Gozaburo wasn't going to succeed in stealing Yami away from him.

As much as he was enjoying the moment and didn't want to break it, Yami's legs were an absolute mess of quivering muscles and he hesitantly asked, "Do you want to lay down?"

Helping lift Yami off of his now softening member, Kaiba watched in amusement as his rival flopped forward on the bed face first with a relieved moan. "Not moving for like a week after that, holy shit," Yami mumbled into the covers.

Kissing the back of Yami's neck before laying down on his side next to him, Kaiba teased, "Kind of puts a stop to what I had planned for the rest of the evening…"

Forcing his body to roll over and face Kaiba, Yami asked, "Plans?"

"But if you're not interested—"

"I didn't say that," Yami interrupted with a laugh, moving to snuggle closer to Kaiba, lazily draping his arm around Kaiba's waist before freezing in shock. He felt marks on Kaiba's back that had never been there before and immediately became serious. "Seto, what—?"

Mentally swearing at Yami discovering what he had managed to successfully hide for two days, Kaiba nonchalantly commented. "It's nothing," as he tried to casually roll over onto his back in the unrealistic hopes that the topic would be dropped just like that.

"The hell it isn't!" Yami growled, the rush of adrenalin giving him the extra burst of energy he needed to move and straddle himself over Kaiba, gasping at what he saw. There were all sorts of welts and scratches covering Kaiba's back, some resembling trails left by fingernails and others looking like they were left by something else. The shaking of his hand had nothing to do with his former arousal as he reached out and touched one up by Kaiba's shoulder he had inadvertently reopened with his heel earlier and he was sickened by the sight of that beautiful pale skin marred by such horrific lines of pain. "Did that bastard do this to you?"

Still trying to play it off out of habit, Kaiba snorted, "You're going to have to be more specific than that," before gasping when Yami prodded one of the less severe marks in reprimand. "Don't you _dare_ do that again."

Feeling a little guilty, Yami continued despite his miscalculation, "Then don't make me play twenty questions to figure out what the hell this is all about."

"No, it wasn't Gozaburo," Kaiba irritably denied, although it was a technicality since a few of the riding crop marks had been added by him after Tanizaki left that night, who had left the majority of the marks during his stay.

"Tanizaki?" Yami guessed since that was the only other name he had any knowledge of in context of a violent setting.

Cursing Gozaburo for letting Yami know anything about one of his most deranged patrons, Kaiba harrumphed into the comfort and knew it was pointless to deny it. Hoping that his silence would serve as all the confirmation Yami needed, it seemed to work when the indignant teen continued, "What the fuck, Seto? Jounouchi got thrown out for less than this!"

"Yeah, well he wasn't exactly paying for the privilege," Kaiba snapped, not responding well to the tone or the point.

The comment stopped Yami cold and he just stared at Kaiba, once again feeling hit by the same sense of hopelessness that he felt when at the brothel. "Please tell me this isn't something that everyone gets to do if they want…" Yami finally whispered, fearing for the worst.

"The last guy who did has been dead for two years," Kaiba said with a shrug, sounding entirely callous about it and without remorse. "The fucker who killed him did me a favor," _and never lets me forget it_, Seto mentally finished to himself with a sneer. It wasn't like he had asked Tanizaki to get rid of his own father, but that didn't stop the man from lording it over Kaiba like he had put the hit out on the guy himself. Why should he be grateful that Tanizaki murdered his own blood for family vengeance that had nothing to do with him? He was just one benefactor amongst many that was better off in the world once Kuragorou was gone from it.

It actually hurt to hear Kaiba talk like that and Yami leaned forward, careful to avoid the marks, and whispered, "Seto," over and over again. Wanting to touch him, needing to do something to make it okay, and knowing that there was absolutely nothing he could do.

"Don't you dare fucking pity me," Kaiba venomously hissed, refusing to accept it from Yami or anyone else.

"I don't pity you," Yami reassured him, "but I just wish that—"

"Yeah, well wishing gets you nowhere," Kaiba flippantly interrupted, "now get the fuck off of me."

Mourning how their sweet moment had disappeared so fast, Yami could only comply as he carefully laid back down next to Kaiba who was glaring defiantly at him, just daring him to say something. "How do you do it?" Yami softly asked, refusing to look away or let Kaiba intimidate him. "How do you stay so strong against this?"

"Because anything else means he's won," Kaiba finally replied as he lost a little bit of his defensiveness when he saw that there really wasn't a trace of pity in Yami's expressive eyes, only concern. "Nothing makes him angrier than knowing that he's failed to break me, no matter what he tries to use against me."

"Like me," Yami softly guessed, reaching out and stroking Kaiba's brunette hair in an instinctual move to soothe away some of the pain.

"Like you," Kaiba repeated, the anger gone and replaced with a weariness he rarely allowed himself to feel, let alone show. "I won't let him, Yami."

Kissing Kaiba's forehead, Yami said, "I don't doubt that."

Reaching out and letting Yami inch closer to his chest, Kaiba embraced his rival tightly, feeling a little bit better with him safe in his arms. "Thanks," Kaiba whispered as he burrowed his face into Yami's hair, his earlier exhaustion once again taking hold. "Besides, it's not as bad as it looks."

Frowning at the assertion, Yami didn't believe a word of it, but he wisely didn't say anything about that aspect of the comment. "Is that why he gave you today off?" Yami asked, unable to stop himself.

"No, actually," Kaiba replied, having worked in far worse shape than the state he was currently in a few days after seeing Tanizaki. "We're leaving soon."

"I don't understand," Yami said as he pulled back a little to look at Kaiba.

"We're going to Macau for a week or so," Kaiba explained with a shrug, knowing that it would be the perfect chance to put all of his plans into action. What he didn't say was that the reason he was accompanying his adoptive father there was because Tanizaki was joining Gozaburo in a business venture to try and expand the company onto a gambling cruise ship; there were just some things that his rival was better off not knowing.

The blank expression on Kaiba's face told Yami he probably didn't want to ask and was better off not knowing the details. "Oh," was the only response Yami could think of to say, which really didn't cover it at all.

"I'll be fine," Kaiba said, although he wasn't entirely sure why he was reassuring Yami over it. Kaiba still didn't quite understand how he went from being so irate to so placated, other than the fact that he was never really angry at Yami—after all, it wasn't his fault that Gozaburo and Tanizaki were a horrible combination.

"You always are, aren't you?" Yami questioned, sounding not so much bitter as sad.

"I have you to protect," Kaiba replied as he reached out and tenderly stroked Yami's cheek. "What other choice do I have?"

The sentiment moved Yami deeply and he claimed a desperate kiss from Kaiba who gave into it. Despite their physical reserves being spent, they still found themselves seeking comfort through their hands and lips to do what the rest of their bodies could not yet manage again. They had the rest of the night to be with each other, but for now it was enough that they were close together.

* * *

**A/N:** As I said before, this probably wasn't the date chapter that most of you were expecting, but there's a reason for that. A date doesn't always have to be out; staying in has its own romance. And given that Kaiba can never know who is watching him outside that may report back to Gozaburo…a quiet dinner in would suit them best, ne? Sadly for everyone, I really hate writing dinner scenes. *laugh*

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Yami was so caught up in his worries about how Kaiba was holding up on the trip that he was startled when someone sat down next to him. "Jounouchi?" Yami asked in disbelief, instantly bracing himself for a fight. Although things had become less strained between them, the fact that Yami was still willingly spending time and getting even closer to Kaiba was a point of serious contention for Jounouchi and their now icy friendship._

It's a talk that's been a long time coming for the two of them, to say the least…

I know some of you are probably getting frustrated with my alternating posting, but I'm really trying to finish up the fics that have been lingering for far too long. The **next update **will be **Anywhen, Anywhere: Part XX** on **May 9th**, since I'm trying to finish that one before the 20th, which will mark the two year anniversary since I started working on it. Seems sort of fitting and better than waiting until August, which is when I started posting it.

Thus, the **next Forbidden update** will be on **May 16th**, so hopefully this longer update will help make up for it~.


	29. Chapter 29: Spoken

**Chapter 29: Spoken  
**

It had been three days since Kaiba had been gone and Yami was morosely sitting on the rooftop alone at lunch, worrying about whatever was happening abroad. He worried enough about Kaiba as it was when he could see for himself what was going on; to not see him and know that there was something happening was far worse. Yami knew that Kaiba would be pissed at him for worrying about it at all, but he just couldn't help himself when he knew that Gozaburo was involved.

Although he was sitting alone on the part of the roof he normally occupied with Kaiba, there were plenty of other people up there enjoying their lunches together—people that he was normally almost completely oblivious to their existence because he was so enraptured by the brunette. It was interesting to him to see how different their interactions were from everyone else's, but then again, his relationship with Kaiba wasn't normal like everyone else; he still wouldn't trade what they had, though.

Yami was so caught up in his worries about how Kaiba was holding up on the trip that he was startled when someone sat down next to him. "Jounouchi?" Yami asked in disbelief, instantly bracing himself for a fight. Although things had become less strained between them, the fact that Yami was still willingly spending time and getting even closer to Kaiba was a point of serious contention for Jounouchi and their now icy friendship.

"So why is it that even when that bastard is gone, you still won't come hang out with us?" Jounouchi questioned, launching right into it without any preamble.

Turning slightly to properly face Jounouchi, Yami could only stare at him for a moment before gathering his wits enough to truthfully answer, "Because I don't feel like listening to any shit over it." Yami knew that Jounouchi was really the only one that would make any protest over, but it was still more than he felt like dealing with; besides, he knew he wasn't exactly the most pleasant of company when he was worrying about what Gozaburo was doing to Kaiba.

"Who's going to give you shit?" Jounouchi asked with a snort.

Giving Jounouchi a pointed look, Yami replied, "So you wouldn't have said something along the lines of, 'Oh, so now that bastard is gone and you come crawling back to see us?' I find that hard to believe."

Frowning a little, Jounouchi knew that he probably would have said something exactly like that, albeit with more expletives. "Look, I'm not here to give you shit over it," Jounouchi explained, irritably running his fingers through his hair. "I know I'm the reason you're not down there with the rest of them."

Vaguely amused by the ego of such a statement, Yami let it slide as he informed Jounouchi, "Primary reason, but not the only one. Did it ever occur to you that maybe I just wanted the time to be alone?"

"If he was here, would you still want to be alone?" Jounouchi wisely countered, forcing Yami to concede the point, because, "Alone together," wasn't exactly an appropriate answer.

When Yami maintained his silence, Jounouchi bit back an annoyed growl; he hadn't expected the conversation to be an easy one, but he wasn't enjoying the fact it was so difficult, either. "You obviously aren't going to stop seeing him and—"

"And you say that like it's a bad thing," Yami interjected, feeling a little flare up of indignation.

"That's not what I meant," Jounouchi defended himself, struggling to find the right words. He was never very good at expressing himself when it came to delicate matters; it was a lot easier to settle things with his fists. "I'm trying to say it's different now."

"How?" Yami demanded. "How exactly is it different? He's gone, so you come and try to make nice, only to act like a dick when he gets back? Because I'm really not interested in that."

"No, damn it!" Jounouchi growled, irritated even though he understood why he had made Yami think like that about him. "I thought he was using you—"

Yami interrupted again, "Using me to do what?"

"Well, for trying to use you against me or something," Jounouchi said, trying to wave it away with minimal success.

Although it sounded a bit cruel, Yami asked, "Do you really think your existence has enough of an impact on Seto for him to even think of doing such a thing?"

"No, but if he was using you to amuse himself or something—"

"Then that's my damn problem, not yours," Yami snapped, completely unconcerned with such a thing.

Jounouchi started to argue back, but forced himself to take a moment; he knew his hotheadedness was what got him into such a mess with Yami in the first place. "Damn it, Yami, what I'm tryin' to tell you is that it's different now that you guys aren't just seeing each other at the whorehouse."

Bristling a bit at the terminology, Yami let it go in favor of looking at the larger issue. "Your point?"

"Look, I still want to kick his ass for fucking other people when he's your boyfriend, but—"

"Wait, _what_?" Yami asked, trying to reign in his expression of shock at Jounouchi's view of the situation.

"I mean, it's fucked up, because he's loyal to you in his own crazy ass way, even though he has to fuck other people—and at least it's not because he's a cheating slut or something. At least the asshole is smart enough to get paid for it, even though I still don't understand why he has to work there, especially since he has you," Jounouchi rambled, his words still not coming out like he wanted them to. "The bastard almost broke my damn arm to protect you, which I guess I can understand. Because I would totally beat the shit out of someone for trying to mess with Yuugi and Anzu's relationship, right? I get that."

The rush of words was almost too much to process, although Yami filed away the knowledge about Kaiba injuring Jounouchi to protect him to discuss later. "What, so you're no longer against us being together?" Yami asked, needing to clarify. "_Why_?"

"Because you're my friend and I miss you being around," Jounouchi answered, counting off the points on his fingers as he continued. "I absolutely hate the fucker, but you seem to like him. He seems pretty serious about you, even if he's still a whore."

"Jounouchi," Yami growled in warning, bristling over the terminology.

"Sorry, sorry," Jounouchi apologized, holding his hands up in placation. "I didn't mean it like that, it's just…ahhh, fuck it, I don't like it, but I don't have to, right?"

"And what brought this on?" Yami skeptically asked, still finding it hard to believe that Jounouchi had come around so drastically on his own.

Jounouchi couldn't bring himself to admit how closely he had been watching the couple over the last few weeks. He had just been waiting for Kaiba to fuck up and give him an excuse to get involved on his friend's behalf, but that chance never came. It had been an educational experience to say the least, and not just because he had seen them in more intimate moments than he'd ever be comfortable with; as grossed out as Jounouchi was by the thought of two guys together, he ultimately realized he was more bothered by the fact it was Kaiba than his gender.

Once he had gotten over his issues about two guys being together, Jounouchi started noticing the little things about their interactions, like the way that Kaiba would open a door for Yami and guide him through by the small of his back, or how he always seemed to be there for Yami, but mostly the way he treated the scarlet eyed teen like he was something precious. Sure, the two still bickered and challenged each other on a frequent basis, but it was evident even to Jounouchi that Kaiba actually cared for Yami and that made it harder for him to object to the pairing. It was one thing when Kaiba was pretending because Yami was paying him, but to see a genuine underlying affection that had nothing to do with the financial transactions that Jounouchi had once assumed was the motivation…well, it changed things for him. He still thought Kaiba was a bastard, but he made Yami happy, so a years old rivalry that had nothing to do with his friend lost its importance in light of his friend's feelings.

"You look miserable without him," Jounouchi finally answered, having watched Yami mope around for the past few days. "Even an idiot like me can tell you two like each other."

The news came as a complete surprise and it warmed him, even as he pointed out, "You still don't like it."

"No, I don't like _him_," Jounouchi irritably corrected before calming himself once more. "He's an asshole, but…damn it, Yami, he's not worth losing our friendship over. I'd rather see you with him than not see you at all, alright?"

Yami knew that it must have taken a lot for Jounouchi to admit to such a thing, but he still wasn't convinced that his friend was that ready to accept him being with Kaiba. "I'm not going to stop being with Seto," Yami reiterated to Jounouchi, needing him to understand.

Even though Jounouchi logically expected to hear such a thing, part of him still reacted poorly to it internally. "I don't expect you to," Jounouchi replied, "but doesn't it bother you that he's with all of those other people?"

It did, but Yami could understand the reasons as much as his exterior perspective allowed. "Yes, but…there's a circumstance that—"

"How can you just accept that?" Jounouchi interrupted, some of the angry heat coming back into his tone despite his good intentions.

"Because I accept him," Yami answered, as if it was as simple as that.

The ease with which Yami said that had Jounouchi shaking his head ruefully. "Damn, you've got it _bad_ for him, don't you?"

"Yeah," Yami admitted ruefully, because there was no point in denying it.

"I'm really trying to understand," Jounouchi told Yami with a heavy sigh as he leaned against the brick wall. "I don't _want_ to understand, but I'm tryin'. For you."

"I appreciate it," Yami thanked him, but he couldn't help but doubt how long it would last when Jounouchi next saw him with Kaiba.

"But if he ever hurts you, I'm kicking the shit out of him," Jounouchi promised, still fiercely loyal to his friend despite his previous objections.

Chuckling despite his reservations, Yami replied, "I doubt it'll come to that, but thanks."

They lapsed into silence for a time, causing Jounouchi to start fidgeting. "Hey, can I ask you something?" Jounouchi finally asked, needing an answer to one of the things that had been bothering him since the beginning.

"Sure," Yami consented, bracing himself for the question, because surely, if Jounouchi felt the need to ask permission, it couldn't be a good sign.

"Is it…is it because it's Kaiba or because he's a guy?" Jounouchi awkwardly questioned.

"Because it's Kaiba," Yami answered without hesitation, "but what difference does that make?"

Shrugging, Jounouchi confessed, "I just never thought that you'd be into dudes, that's all. Let alone _him_."

"Is it a problem?" Yami asked in a neutral tone.

"No," Jounouchi quickly denied, even if it was a bit of a lie, "but I just keep trying to figure out if you two ever would have gotten together if it wasn't my fault that you met him there."

It was an interesting point and one that Yami didn't know the answer to. "Who knows?" Yami replied with a shrug. Part of him could believe it based on the understanding of their attraction through their explorations, but would he ever have been brave enough to pursue it without the push of opportunity afforded by Kaiba Corporation? Yami wasn't so sure.

Then again, Kaiba might have made his own move once he was in a better circumstance; he had already admitted to thinking of them getting together previously, so it wasn't beyond the realm of possibility. Something inside of Yami was convinced that they were meant to be together, but it might have been a leftover confidence from Kaiba. It was an intriguing question and Yami wondered what Kaiba might say on the subject if he brought it up, albeit without mentioning that it was actually a subject brought up by Jounouchi.

Glancing covertly over at Yami, who was looking quite pensive over the question, Jounouchi hesitated to break his concentration. The end of lunch bell rang, startling them both and solving Jounouchi's dilemma over whether or not to interrupt. "So are we cool now?" Jounouchi asked as they stood up to head back to class.

Although Yami still had his reservations about Jounouchi's sudden change of heart, he didn't doubt the sincerity of the attempted apology. Yami appreciated the effort it took and even he could admit that he had missed hanging out with his friends sometimes. "Yeah," Yami confirmed, "and I'm glad that we finally talked."

"Me, too, man," Jounouchi replied as he wrapped his arm around Yami's shoulder while walking down the stairs together. "Besides, maybe you can help convince him to let me come back and see the Harpie Lady. Damn, I miss her!"

"More like you miss her tits," Yami teased, knowing how enamored Jounouchi was with them.

"They are fantastic," Jounouchi sighed with a dopey grin. "You seriously don't know what you're miss out on…"

"I could say the same to you," Yami retorted with a wicked grin that had Jounouchi groaning at the implication.

Laughing it off as they continued bantering, they returned to class and Yami felt relief over a disappearing burden that he hadn't known he was suffering so heavily from before.

* * *

**A/N:** I don't have much to say about this chapter other than it's a conversation that needed to happen. Besides, I suspect next week's will be of more interest to you all…

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Only then did Yami look back at the picture to see the other person, a handsome man in his mid-thirties and a lewd smile, realizing that it was Tanizaki—surely the same one who had been responsible for the marks on Kaiba's back and so much more. He couldn't take his eyes off of those hands, knowing that they had touched and harmed Kaiba, could barely keep his rage in control at finally seeing who was the source of wounds far deeper than the physical ones left._

Uh, needless to say, next week's update on **Sunday, May 23rd** is going to be a major turning point. *wicked grin*


	30. Chapter 30: Newsflash

**Chapter 30: Newsflash**

It had been over a week and a half since Yami had seen Kaiba and he was starting to get worried about the prolonged absence. He tried to reassure himself that maybe he had misremembered their conversation about Kaiba being gone, but that lie only got him so far. Yami could distinctly recall Kaiba saying he'd be gone for, "a week or so," but that didn't make him any less anxious about the delay. Of course, it didn't help that it felt even longer than it should because Yami was painfully aware of how many different ways he actually missed Kaiba. It was startling to realize, but then it led to questions of whether or not Kaiba felt the same. Yami had finally stopped thinking that Kaiba was interested in something purely professional, but he still wasn't sure exactly what it meant for them beyond that.

Everything else got pushed aside when he worried about what Kaiba was actually doing. He didn't know any details other than a vague duration and the implication that Gozaburo would be there, both of which troubled him tremendously. No good could come from Gozaburo's interactions and it was made worse by the fact that Yami couldn't asses with his own eyes Kaiba's condition. It made his mind think terrible things, imagine horrible scenarios that kept him up late at night, almost as much as the painful need he physically felt to be near Kaiba, to be with him.

The whole thing was making Yami listless and Yuugi had done his best to distract him from his worries. Although Yami hadn't said anything, Kaiba's disappearance was noticeable enough that it wasn't hard to figure out what was troubling the teen. Yami had refused to talk about it, which frustrated Yuugi, but what else could he do other than make his presence known that he was always there and ready to talk?

Every day Yami went to school and Kaiba wasn't there, that feeling inside of him twisted just a little more each time. The weekends in some ways were harder, because it gave Yami the hope that Kaiba would be sitting there in homeroom Monday morning like he had never been gone, smirking at the knowledge of how much he had tormented Yami in his absence, only to make it up to him later when they finally escaped for a private moment. Although some days Yami wondered if he'd even make it that long; the sexually frustrated part of him imagined taking Kaiba right then and there on his desk, reclaiming him from Gozaburo, not giving a damn who knew that the brunette was _his_.

But it was nothing more than a twisted fantasy that would never happen, so Yami tried not to dwell too long on it for fear of it spiraling past the point of control. He usually managed to successfully distract himself—but sometimes that just meant it was only with another fantasy. The scenario of him straddling the brunette in a desk chair in homeroom as Yami welcomed him back in every possible way, gasping and writhing as Kaiba growled in that sensuous timber, "I fucking knew you missed me," while thrusting possessively into his rival was quickly becoming a favorite.

_It's too early for this shit_, Yami mentally groaned as he rested his head on the kitchen table with a heavy sigh. He was already half hard and completely miserable, with nothing to distract him from his lecherous thoughts that he blamed Kaiba entirely for in the first place—not that it did Yami much good at the moment. "Damn it," he muttered in frustration, feeling like he was going out of his mind in so many ways. He just wanted a word, a touch, a glimpse of Kaiba to reassure himself that everything was okay, to free him from that niggling fear that something was going horribly wrong.

"What, are we out of food or something?" Sugoroku teased as he walked into the kitchen and saw his grandson sprawled out on the table like he just didn't have the will to even pick up his head anymore.

Jumping guiltily and looking a bit sheepish at his grandfather, Yami apologized, "No, sorry, I'm just…tired," as he sat up properly.

"Apparently," Sugoroku replied with a hint of amusement that Yami wished he could share. Since his breakfast had been cut short by a call from one of his distributors about an order, Sugoroku went through the familiar motions of making tea and a snack to tide him over until lunch. "Everything okay?"

"I hope so," Yami answered with a heavy sigh that made his grandfather quirk an eyebrow at him. It was enough to motivate Yami to get up and start making himself a small breakfast, of his own, despite his appetite being completely absent; he just couldn't stand worrying his grandfather on top of it all.

Watching Yami out of the corner of his eye, Sugoroku was satisfied that his grandson would be fine for the time being. He was about to ask a question when Yuugi staggered into the kitchen, looking bleary eyed as he went straight to the fridge with a mumbled, "Morning," that made the other two chuckle knowingly.

Paying enough attention to his grandsons' conversation to listen if his participation was required, Sugoroku sat down at the table and began reading the newspaper as he enjoyed his tea. It was mostly the same thing in the news, but there was a comfort in the routine of it, even if his grandsons teased him for being old fashioned at times because of it. Even though he had been widowed for years, he had never had the heart to break his habit of reading the newspaper starting from the back sections, which had allowed his wife to read it from the front through the rest of the paper in its natural order. He quirked his lips in a fond smile as he remembered her habit of reading articles out loud to him, usually in indignation or fascination as they discussed the paper over breakfast.

Shaking himself from his reverie, Sugoroku returned his attentions to his half-read newspaper as the teens joined him at the table and continued their quiet conversation. He wasn't prone to reading aloud as his wife once had, but he furrowed his eyebrow as he came across a name that felt like he should know. It bothered him enough to feel the need to ask, "Why does the name Kaiba sound so familiar?"

Both teens immediately looked at him with shock, confusing Sugoroku further. Yuugi recovered first, explaining, "We go to school with Kaiba Seto," since it didn't seem like Yami was up to saying anything on the subject quite yet.

"Huh, I wonder if he has any relation to Kaiba Gozaburo…?" Sugoroku mused as he continued reading the sordid article to himself. "What a strange name…"

Although Yami's logical side knew he should calmly question why Gozaburo was in the paper, his hands were already reaching for the paper and snatching it from his grandfather's hands. The arrogant picture of Gozaburo left no question as to his identity and Yami startled to tremble as he kept reading the headline over and over again: _Suspicious Circumstances Surround the Death of Two Business Men. _

To say that Sugoroku was startled by Yami's reaction was an understatement, but the unabashed look of abject horror on his grandson's face prevented him from reprimanding the behavior, even as Yuugi informed him that they were friends with Seto. Yami was too absorbed in reading the article to acknowledge his relatives calling out his name in concern, his eyes reading as rapidly as they could without missing a single detail. His singlemindness in finding out about Gozaburo made it all the more startling to come across Tanizaki's name in conjunction with what had happened and suddenly it was almost impossible to breathe. Only then did he look at the picture to see the other person in it, a handsome man in his mid-thirties with a lewd smile, realizing that it was Tanizaki—surely the same one who had been responsible for the marks on Kaiba's back and so much more. Yami couldn't take his eyes off of those hands, knowing that they had touched and harmed Kaiba in search of pleasure. His own hands clenched around the paper as they trembled, struggling to keep his rage in control after finally seeing who was responsible for Kaiba's wounds that ran far deeper than the physical ones left weeks ago.

"Yami, what happened?" Yuugi anxiously pleaded, touching his arm to get his attention.

Yami jerked his arm away in surprise at the contact, frightening Yuugi with the intensity of his gaze. "He's dead," Yami flatly said, before a note of disbelief crept into his tone, "they're both dead…"

Yuugi's violet eyes immediately started to fill with tears as he started to ask, "Seto-kun is—?"

"Oh, shit, no! No, no, no, no," Yami hurriedly repeated, feeling himself go cold with the feeling of dread that was tinged with relief that Kaiba hasn't been mentioned. "It's someone else."

Holding his hand up to his heart as if that would somehow slow its frantic beating at the possibility that Yami had accidentally alluded to, Yuugi pleaded with a sniffle, "Tell me what happened."

"His adoptive father," Yami explained in bitter disgust over the words, "apparently killed an asshole and then committed suicide over it."

"Yami?" Yuugi asked uncertainly, confused over the choice of adjectives used to describe the second dead man.

He wanted to answer, but his eyes couldn't stop reading over the line, "It appears that Tanizaki-san died during a sexual act of autoerotic asphyxiation with Kaiba-san, before the older man leapt to his death afterward in an apparent case of murder-suicide." Yami knew with all certainty that Gozaburo wasn't the kind of man to commit suicide, let alone over something like that, so something wasn't adding up with the story. He continued reading over the article, his mind working as fast as it could to process all the details, even as he kept wondering what it all meant for Kaiba.

Although Yuugi had recovered somewhat from his false assumption, he still wasn't capable of answering his grandfather's questioning gaze. Shrugging as he stood up to read the article over Yami's shoulder, Yuugi gasped when he recognized the man in the picture. "Wait, _that's_ Kaiba's _dad_?" Yuugi asked in disbelief, still remembering the overwhelming and confusing presence from their one encounter in front of the school.

"Adoptive," Yami corrected, feeling the need to build that sole defense between their character. He still felt sick with worry and confusion, even as he felt horrible for being glad that the man would no longer be able to hurt Kaiba. Then again, the man had cared for Kaiba in his own twisted way; Yami just couldn't understand it all. Because now that Kaiba was once again orphaned, Yami wondered if that meant the brunette would have to leave because of another guardian.

Even though Yuugi knew that Kaiba had been adopted, it wasn't until that moment that he formed the connection and stuttered, "So, he's—he's the reason that Seto-kun…that he's _there_?"

"Yes," Yami tersely confirmed, not wanting to get into the specifics with their grandfather present.

"But, that means that Seto-kun…how could anyone do that, let alone to their own…?" Yuugi questioned with anguish at his friend's situation.

Anything that Yami would have said couldn't be spoken in front of his grandfather's concerned presence, so he forced himself to remain mute on the subject. Now that the initial rush of emotions was over, it made Yuugi realize something, "Wait, you said that 'they' were dead? You know the other guy?"

"He was that bastard's…friend," Yami spat, knowing that it went beyond mere business associates.

"More than just a friend from the sounds of it," Sugoroku commented, causing Yami to look up at him in surprise.

Only then did Yami remember asking if "that bastard" had been the one to hurt him and Kaiba replying, "You're going to have to be more specific than that." At the time, Yami had been too focused on the cause of Kaiba's injuries to really pay attention to the underlying meaning, which meant that there was more than one person who could have done such a thing to him. What if Tanizaki and Gozaburo had both been with Kaiba that night? Tanizaki may have been the one to physically harm Kaiba, but if it had been under Gozaburo's orders? The image was horrible and he felt his chest tightening, because if that had happened again, then _where was Kaiba_?

Yami was pushing away from the table and on his feet before he realized what he was doing. He was faintly aware of Yuugi calling out to him, but Yami had to get away. Bolting for the door and running outside, Yami still found it wasn't any easier to breathe in the fresh air. He knew that Kaiba wouldn't be at the brothel because the incident had taken place in another country, but it was of little consolation. There was no number he could call, no place he could go, no person he could seek out that would know anything. For the briefest moment, he thought about contacting Ishi, but something deep inside of him warned him against such an action. If whatever had happened was business related, then even Ishi might be in danger because of her association with Kaiba—plus, she might have been with them to help in her normal capacity. Besides, it wasn't like he had her number, either.

It made Yami feel so completely and utterly useless and he was almost hyperventilating by the time he reached the park near his house. He collapsed on a bench and wrapped his arms around himself, feeling completely wretched and helpless. Not knowing what was going on with Kaiba was frightening under the circumstances and Yami desperately needed to see him even more, just to see for himself that the brunette was okay. It made him ache for a whole new reason and Yami could feel his emotions threatening to boil over at any moment the longer he thought about what it could all mean for Kaiba.

The enormity of the situation spared Yami from thinking further on the specifics of Tanizaki, but mostly because he couldn't quit questioning about Kaiba. Yami wasn't sure how long he had been in the empty park, but he was instantly aware of the sound of someone entering the area. For one single foolish moment, Yami had almost hoped to look up and see Kaiba standing there, but real life continued to disappoint. "_Jounouchi-kun?_" Yami asked in disbelief, wondering what the hell his friend was doing in the area, let alone in the park.

Walking over and sitting down next to Yami, Jounouchi glanced down at his friend before staring straight ahead while explaining, "I know I'm not the one you want to see."

Jounouchi was being unusually serious and yet Yami still found himself scoffing due to the situation, "What would you know about it?"

Shrugging as he dug his heel into the dirt gravel of the playground, Jounouchi simply said, "I heard about it." The truth of the situation was that he had overheard his father's drunken rage over the news report of the incident; the influence of his father's hatred of gays wasn't hard to see under such circumstances.

"And you came here to what?" Yami bitterly demanded as he glared at Jounouchi, still distrustful despite their truce.

"To see if you were okay," Jounouchi answered, trying not to take the slight personally; he deserved far worse accusations for his previous behavior.

"_Why_?" Yami questioned, a bubble of hysteria starting to rise in him as it cemented the incident further in his mind. He couldn't write it off as a horrific nightmare now that there was an uninvolved party with knowledge of what had happened. It made Yami lean forward and rest his elbows on his knees as he buried his face in his hands, repeating the question with an entirely different meaning. Why had it happened, why couldn't he do anything about, why couldn't he be there for Kaiba?

Looking at Yami's hunched over form, Jounouchi felt a pang of sympathy for his friend, despite his hatred of Kaiba. "Because you're my friend," Jounouchi replied, frowning when it made Yami curl even further into himself. "Look, I'm sure that bastard will be back as soon as this blows over."

"How can you be so sure?" Yami wanted to know, having little faith in the crushing moment of his fears.

"Because he's the sort of asshole who will be all, 'I'm so awesome, I don't need parents,' or some bullshit like that," Jounouchi commented, somewhat facetiously and yet believing it to a degree. "You _know_ you can hear him saying, 'I can take care of myself,' with a sneer."

The messed up thing, was that Yami _could_ actually envision it and he didn't know whether to laugh at the self assured ego or cry at the implication of everything else he had been forced to survive. A sound that was somewhere in between escaped from Yami and it just made Jounouchi worry all the more for his friend. "I would _so_ kick his ass for making you worry if any of this was actually his fault," Jounouchi sighed as he toed a rock from a divot with more violence than intended.

_But what if it is?_ Yami darkly wondered, his mind picturing horrible scenarios of Tanizaki taking it too far with Kaiba and Gozaburo interfering in a rare momentary of fatherly pride, or the more likely attempt at protecting his valuable investment. However, none of that explained what happened to Kaiba or how Gozaburo ended up dead.

Jounouchi was struggling with what else to say; words had never exactly been his strong point. More often than not, they got him into trouble rather than helping someone else out of it. When Yami's breathing started to quicken as his thoughts took a turn for the worse, Jounouchi quickly tried to reassure his friend with a hesitant touch on his shoulder. He didn't like the way it made Yami flinch or the feel of him trembling with the force of his barely contained emotional distress. "Come on, man…" Jounouchi tried to rally him, without knowing what to actually do.

"What if something happened to him?" Yami whispered, his mind unable to stop fixating on the worst case scenarios.

"Trust me," Jounouchi reassured him with full confidence, having experienced it first hand, "that asshole knows how to take care of himself."

It brought to the forefront of Yami's mind all the reasons why Kaiba would have to be that way and it forced a choked sob past his defenses as he tightly shut his eyes to try and suppress the tears that were starting to burn. Everything that had been happening over the last few months was starting to reach its boiling point and the emotional turmoil was almost too much.

Concerned by the reaction, Jounouchi hurriedly tried to clarify, "I'm not saying that like it's a bad thing! I'm just sayin' that Kaiba can defend himself if he needs to, yeah?"

Yami so badly wanted to believe in what Jounouchi was trying to tell him, but he couldn't calm his fears so easily. "What if it's not enough?" Yami questioned, the strength still absent from his voice.

"It has to be," Jounouchi astutely noted, although that was of little reassurance to Yami. "Besides, he wouldn't want you worrying like this."

Smiling despite the seriousness of the situation at the thought of Kaiba reprimanding him for his emotional response, Yami heaved a shuddering sigh as he tried to regain control. "This is accomplishing nothing," Yami murmured, knowing that's the sort of thing Kaiba would disdainfully tell him.

"Yeah, that sounds like something that asshole would say," Jounouchi muttered, squeezing Yami's shoulder in reassurance. "Besides, he'd be fucking pissed off as hell that I'm the one trying to convince you that he's fine. Bastard would never let me live it down if he knew."

Leaning back on the bench and looking up at the cloudless sky, Yami could only agree, "Yeah," because he didn't know what else to say.

"He'll be back soon enough," Jounouchi said, knowing that it was inevitable.

Yami said nothing to refute the words he was so desperate to believe.

* * *

**A/N:** And the plot moves forward yet again. Bet you didn't see that one coming, ne? *wicked grin*

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Look, I'm not interested in anyone else," Yami reiterated, surprised that she didn't understand. If he could just get Ishi alone, then he might just be able to find something out—and that was when he realized that what exactly what she was trying to do. "Fine, but I don't want to be charged until I've made a decision."_

And the plot just keeps on going…

Next update will be on **Sunday, May 30th**, so check back then! Until then, I can't wait to hear the reactions to this latest twist.


	31. Chapter 31: Searching

**Chapter 31: Searching**

Yami had managed to wait until Tuesday before he broke down and violated his promise to Kaiba to stay away from the brothel. Driven to desperation by new details of the murders and silence on Kaiba's whereabouts, Yami couldn't stay away from Kaiba Corporation any longer. It made him feel guilty for breaking the promise, but he tried to convince himself that it was made to protect him from Gozaburo and now that the bastard was dead, maybe it would be okay under the circumstances.

However, just because he had gone to the brothel, didn't mean they were exactly being forthcoming with information at the front desk. He had been arguing with them for minutes, losing his calm politeness at their continual refusal to cooperate.

"You don't understand!" Yami exclaimed as he resisted the urge to bang his fist on the countertop. "I have to see him!"

"But, sir," the woman in the pink wig tried to reason with him, "Dragon-sama is unavailable for the indeterminate future. There is nothing that we can—"

It wasn't what Yami wanted to hear and he cut her off, "Tell me _why_."

"We are unable to disclose that information, sir," the lilac girl informed him, her voice more sympathetic than her words. "There are plenty of others here who are more than capable of meeting any need that—"

"Are any of them him?" Yami snapped, getting a headshake in response. "Then they can't meet my needs, can they?"

Ishi had been silent for most of the exchange, but she had finally come up with a plan—although she wasn't sure if Yami would go for it. "Sir," she quietly addressed Yami, trying to get his attention focused on her.

It worked and Yami looked at her with a silent plea in his eyes, figuring if anyone could help him it would be Kaiba's personal attendant. "_Please_," he pleaded with her, feeling like she was his last chance at finding out why Kaiba had disappeared for almost two weeks.

"Although Dragon-sama is unavailable, there are still plenty of other alternatives," Ishi informed him in a soothing voice, hammering out the last of the details in her mind.

"Look, I'm not interested in anyone else," Yami reiterated, surprised that she didn't understand. If he could just get Ishi alone, then he might just be able to find something out—and that was when Yami realized that what exactly what she was trying to do. "_Fine_, but I don't want to be charged until I've made a decision."

Trying not to look relieved, Ishi smiled at him and gestured for him to follow as she said, "That's the spirit, sir. If you would follow me?"

Shoving his hands in his pockets and hunching his shoulders in defeat, Yami silently followed after her and got into the elevator. When he started to speak, she immediately spoke over him, "I am sorry for this inconvenience, sir. But I'm quite sure we can come to a convenient arrangement if you are willing."

"Only because it's you," Yami muttered as the doors opened on their floor. Yami recognized it as the hallway where clients looked over the portfolios of the potential partners.

Ushering Yami into the room, she guided him over to a chair and gestured for him to sit where there was a book already open. "I have something I must check first," she informed him, hoping he wouldn't run. "Would you please wait for me to return, sir?"

"Will you answer my question then?" Yami countered, watching her expressions to judge her sincerity.

Nodding her confirmation, Ishi hurriedly ducked out of the room and steeled herself for what had to happen next.

* * *

Standing outside of the night manager's door, Ishi took a deep breath and hoped that it was all worth it. Ishi was worried about Seto and she could only hope that Yami could go where she could not. Even though Gozaburo was gone, they still weren't free from the ghost of his tyranny quite yet. Composing her expression, Ishi knocked loudly on the door and was immediately granted entrance.

Smiling beautifully at the man she hated almost as much as Gozaburo, Ishi tried to restrain her hatred for Daimon, the fat retainer with the beady little eyes that were hidden by round glasses. He was notoriously vile and cruel, quick to dole out punishment in the most violent of manners for even the slightest of offenses. Every time Gozaburo was absent, there was little relief to be felt because of Daimon's draconian rule in his stead. Approaching Daimon with a sexy sway of her hips that made her skirt swish enticingly against her upper thighs, Ishi greeted him with a smooth, "Good evening, Daimon-sama."

Daimon's eyes were bright with lust at the unexpected arrival of the girl and he licked his lips as he chuckled darkly in pleasure as he questioned, "To what do I owe this pleasure, Ishi-chan?"

Knowing that the longer she took, the higher chance Yami was for a flight risk, Ishi got straight to the point. "An issue has risen with one of Dragon-sama's most favored patrons," she informed him, keeping her tone neutral. "He is adamant about being with Dragon-sama alone, but—"

"But we both know that ain't happening," he gruffly cut her off to state.

Bowing in acknowledgement, Ishi continued, "So I've explained to him, sir. However, we have reached an agreement between us, but I wanted your permission before proceeding."

Looking the girl over critically, Daimon delayed in responding. She had worked at Kaiba Corporation for several years and was high enough in stature to have earned Gozaburo's trust to be exclusively assigned to Dragon; surely that had to count for something.

"And what would this agreement be?" Daimon finally asked, still ogling her despite the serious nature of the conversation.

"He wants me in place of Dragon-sama," she lied, silently offering an apology to both the man in question and Yami.

Narrowing his eyes in displeasure, Daimon's voice was harsh as he warned, "You know we have rules against that, girl."

"I am well aware of that, sir. But, given the circumstances, I have no objections to the arrangement," Ishi agreed before slyly laying her final trap. She had a role to play and Ishi would never forgive herself for failing Seto when he needed her the most. "I figured that Dragon-sama would be more upset at the loss of such a valued client than my temporarily…taking care of him."

Sighing heavily, Daimon considered his options even as he mentally drooled at the intended innuendo. Normally the front girls weren't allowed to work in that capacity, but the upheaval of the past two weeks made everything more difficult. Gozaburo never would have stood for it, but a dead man's opinion meant nothing in the world of the living. There was also the benefit of getting to watch the camera recordings from the room and that was all Daimon needed to make his decision. "Charge him double and make sure that no one finds out," he gruffly agreed, hoping it wasn't a huge mistake. "Only this once, got it?"

Hiding her relief, Ishi bowed once more as she thanked him, "You're so good to me, sir. I'll take _very_ good care of him, then."

Grunting in acknowledgment, he watched her leave, his eyes never straying from her shapely ass. Only once she was gone did Daimon turn his chair around and press the button to convert the wall into the security recording panels of every room in the building.

* * *

Unaware of what was transpiring on his behalf, Yami petulantly flipped through the book just to give his hands a distraction that his mind was so eager to accept. Even though it hadn't been his intention, Yami was inevitably drawn to the picture of Kaiba. It still surprised him to see how much older Kaiba came across in the picture and Yami absentmindedly brushed his thumb over the photograph along the path of his cheekbone.

It was yet another reminder of how long it had actually been since he had seen Kaiba and how long it had been since he had discovered Dragon. But as much as he would have liked to linger on the thought of Kaiba, he was too concerned with what Ishi was up to. It wasn't that he had a reason to distrust her, he was just generally anxious about what was taking so long. However, he wanted answers and he had no choice but to sit and wait for her return in the hopes of finding out some news about Kaiba.

* * *

**A/N:** I can't believe you guys have left over 500 reviews for me! I'm just in awe of your kindness and I can't thank you enough! There's really not a whole lot left for me to say other than I adore you all for your generosity of thoughts.

And for those of you who aren't familiar with the manga, Daimon is a reference to one of Kaiba's butlers hired by Gozaburo. Daimon was a cruel sadist, so I thought it was an appropriate role for him to play here in _Forbidden_.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_When Ishi silently mouthed the word, "Please," it made Yami's eyebrows furrow in consternation. There was a sense of urgency to her actions, but he stopped her wandering hands from pulling off his shirt. "Ishi, I'm not sure that—"_

*wicked grin*

The next update goes up on **Sunday, June 6th**, surreal as it is to type that date. Plus, it'll be my first story to surpass 31 chapters, so this will be a milestone of sorts, maybe. Anyway, this is one I wrote at the very beginning, so I've been building up to it for awhile now. Can't wait to hear the reactions, as always.


	32. Chapter 32: Covert

**A/N:** It's not quite het, but…just keep reading. *grin*

* * *

**Chapter 32: Covert**

Hurrying back to the conference room, Ishi half-expected to discover Yami missing, but he was still dourly sitting where she had left him. "Would you please follow me?" Ishi requested, causing Yami to jump in surprise since he hadn't even heard her enter.

"Where are we going?" he asked, even as he was obeying and walking over to her.

"You'll see," she coyly responded as she led the way to the elevators. Pressing the top floor button, she heard Yami's excited noise of questioning that she quickly adverted with a subtle touch on his arm. "I know that you are eager, but patience is a virtue, sir."

Yami was confused by the contact and the random aphorism, but he decided to remain silent since he would know soon enough. There was an odd sense of nervous excitement and relief that flooded through him and Yami had to reign in his desire to rush down the hall to find Kaiba.

Instead of remaining in the elevator as per usual, Ishi led the way to the hotel suite where Yami had first encountered Kaiba. Yami quickly followed Ishi into the room and anxiously looked around for Kaiba, but there was no trace of him. He was going to question Ishi about it, but she was still walking back to the bathroom and he hurried after her.

When he entered the spacious bathroom and still saw no hint of Kaiba, Yami growled irritably as he demanded, "What the hell is going on, Ishi?"

Knowing that they were too far gone to stop now, Ishi approached him and suggested, "Why don't you take a shower?"

"I didn't come here to take a fucking shower!" he snapped, his voice echoing off the walls in his anger. He immediately felt terrible for it, but his nerves were starting to take their toll on him and apparently his manners as well. "Look, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell, it's just—"

Embracing Yami and carefully keeping her back to the camera, Ishi hoped that he would understand what she meant by saying, "It will take a load off of your mind."

"That's not why I'm here and—"

Interrupting his tirade, Ishi pulled back and reached up with a tender hand to his cheek in an attempt to force Yami to look her in the eyes. "It will wash away all of your _worries_ and _concerns_," she continued, emphasizing the words she needed Yami to understand. "I know that I'm not Dragon-sama, but I know what will _help you_."

When Ishi silently mouthed the word, "Please," it made Yami's eyebrows furrow in consternation. There was a sense of urgency to her actions, but he stopped her wandering hands from pulling off his shirt. "Ishi, I'm not sure that—"

"Trust me," she pleaded, hiding it in a sexy murmur, "I know what you _need_."

It was the desperate look that finally started to break him and he gave in when she promised, "I'll make it worth your while…so please, for Dragon-sama's sake?"

Sighing heavily, Yami muttered, "It better be," as he slowly took off his shirt and hoped that he wasn't making a horrible mistake. He had no intentions of doing anything with the woman, but she seemed hell bent and determined to get him in the shower; there obviously had to be a reason for it. Under different circumstances, Yami would never dare to do anything so bold, but his worry for Kaiba was trumping his normal reasoning.

Acting quickly before Yami had the chance to change his mind, Ishi walked over to the shower and started the water, making sure it was hot enough to make steam—something that would shield them from the cameras. "Thank you," she said in the softest of voices as she tried to assist him with the remainder of his clothes.

When Yami felt Ishi's fingers on his skin, he was startled by it and stepped away, muttering, "I can do it myself."

"As you wish, sir," she acquiesced before sensually stripping out of her uniform and trying not to think about Daimon watching from the security cameras.

It took a moment for Yami to realize what Ishi was doing and his cheeks flushed bright red as he hissed, "What are you doing?"

"May I remind you that we are on a time limit?" she playfully teased, although she spoke the truth.

Even if Yami had a retort, it would have disappeared the moment she unhooked the clasp of her sea foam green bra and let it drop to the floor. Her panties were quick to follow and Yami could only stare at her naked form. Although her breasts weren't large, they were ample enough and her body had curves in all the right places; even Yami couldn't help but appreciate her beauty, even if it embarrassed him to do so. She broke his reverie by asking, "Is it okay if I take off my wig?"

"Uh, sure," Yami consented, although he was barely cognizant of doing so. He was too busy questioning what he was doing almost completely naked in front of a woman who was already nude. He kept telling himself that it was for Kaiba, but there was a lot of uncertainty still surrounding the moment.

Slipping off the clips that held the wig in place, she walked over to the counter and carefully placed it on it before letting down her long black hair and running her fingers through it to detangle it. It was longer than he expected and the tips of it brushed against her breasts, causing him to blush against his will when she casually flicked the black strands over her shoulder. Despite himself, Yami was entranced by her natural beauty and the confidence she held herself in; he couldn't help but be reminded of Kaiba in a strange way. Yami was brought to his senses when Ishi started to remove his underwear, but his protest went unheeded as she joked, "Planning on wearing these in there?"

"No," Yami muttered, somewhat relieved when Ishi finally entered the shower and left the door open in invitation.

Taking a deep breath before shyly removing the last article of clothing, Yami hesitated in the middle of the room before following her into the shower and shutting the door behind him. Awkwardly standing in the large shower and doing his best to suppress the memories of what had happened the last time he had been in it—and every other shower he and Kaiba had taken advantage of—Yami ignored the urge to cover himself. It was of small consolation that she had already seen him naked once in a shower, but he had been sitting down and curled up at the time, so it wasn't like she had actually _seen_ him, though.

Ishi couldn't help but smile at Yami's shyness, even if she felt terrible for having to resort to such a method. Although it was unlikely that Yami was going to take the initiative, Ishi gave him the courtesy of a moment to do so before acting. Standing under the shower head, she reached out and took Yami's wrist into her hand and gently pulled on it to encourage him to step closer to her.

"Ishi…" Yami hesitated, his eyes never leaving hers. Her beauty was intimidating and he could hear Jounouchi's voice raving in his mind for not truly being able to appreciate the way the water ran over her curves and made her hair the color of the darkest midnight, but Yami was too embarrassed to even glance.

Tugging a little more insistently, she successfully managed to make him move close enough that she could embrace him. Yami froze in shock at feeling her naked body pressed so close to his, unable to move or even know what to do. Well, he knew what to _do_, but she wasn't Kaiba and it was just wrong on so many different levels. His hands remained limp at his sides, while his mind reeled at the feeling of her breasts pressing against his chest as he awkwardly stood still and received the attention.

"I'm so sorry," she murmured into his ear with sincerity, causing him to shiver at the lilt and proximity of her voice to his overly sensitive ears. It was the longest he had gone without contact since his time with Kaiba and the familiar setting was doing him any favors with the warm, slick contact between them; it was beyond mortifying and he knew the heat in his cheeks had nothing to do with the temperature of the water. "If I knew any other way, then I would have, but…"

Getting the vague impression that she was apologizing for her peculiar methodology, he questioned, "What do you mean?" It reminded him of how often Kaiba spoke in hushed undertones while in the shower while at the brothel and Yami felt foolish for only now making the connection.

"We're being monitored," she whispered, her lips pressed close to his ear in her paranoia. "It's a little safer in here with the steam and the water fall to provide cover from the cameras and microphones, but—"

"Wait, so this whole time—" Yami started to exclaim, but was drowned out by her moaning beautifully and it stunned him into silence.

Despite her confidence, it was a little embarrassing for her as well and she hurriedly explained, "They need to think we're actually doing something in here, so…"

Picking up on her implication, he asked with a bit of dread, "So…that means me, too?"

Pulling back slightly to nod at him, she mouthed another apology as she ran her hand through her hair to push it back away from her eyes. Only then did she lead him further into the shower, feeling slightly remorseful for backing him against the marble wall. The reaction was instantaneous as his warm skin came into contact with the comparatively cold marble, causing him to loudly swear, "Oh, _fuck_!" His body instinctively arched away from the sensation, which unfortunately pressed him intimately against her, setting off another flustered set of curses that could passably be misinterpreted for sounds of vulgar pleasure.

It made him want to sink into the wall, but it made him hiss uncomfortably as he endured the sensation that made him shiver. Glaring at Ishi for the dirty trick, he was less than pleased to see the impish look of mischief over her action. Her expression quickly became serious as she once again leaned forward to speak covertly in his ear, "I'm assuming you heard about what happened to that bastard?"

His first response was to nod, but she gave him a pointed look that had him gritting his teeth before groaning, "Yes," and trying not to die of humiliation. It was made even worse when she responded with a smug laugh that sounded so similar to Kaiba's habit that it made him shiver and look up at the ceiling as he tried to get control of himself. He would never forgive himself if he got aroused under the circumstances, but that sound and the puff of amusement against his neck apparently was becoming a conditioned response that he just barely managed to suppress.

Wasting no further time, Ishi continued, "Seto-sama is okay, but…it's not safe for him to come back here just yet."

That was enough to make Yami look at her properly once more, his eyes wide as he started to question, "He would still have to—?"

Pressing a finger to Yami's lips to silence him, she answered, "Not in the capacity you're thinking."

It should have been a relief to hear, but Yami wouldn't feel comfortable until he completely understood. However, there were more pressing matters to address and he waited for her to continue, "I cannot go to where he is."

"Why not?"

Smiling at Yami sadly, she replied, "It's complicated," in a way that made him feel bad for her despite their awkward situation. It was obvious to him that she clearly cared about Kaiba and he was grateful for her support, even if he _did_ wish it could be done through a less exposing way. "You should be able to, though."

"How?" Yami asked, a sense of hope bubbling up over the possibility of being able to see Kaiba again.

"Say you're there to drop off school assignments or something," Ishi explained, "and hopefully they won't give you any problems at the front gate."

Finding the concept of a front gate odd, Yami shrugged it off and figured it was similar to the luxury high rise apartment that he had seen. "Where?"

Murmuring the address into his ear, she made him repeat it back to her, the news causing him not to mind the very sexual way she gasped, "Yes," to confirm he had said it correctly. He committed the address to memory, wondering if he could go straight there after he was done at Kaiba Corporation and she surprised him by preemptively telling him that he could, completely understanding without being told.

Yami hesitantly brought his arms up to hug Ishi as he whispered, "Thank you," at her, his appreciation outweighing the weirdness of embracing a naked woman in the shower.

"Thank you for caring about him," Ishi returned as she returned the hug, smiling a little and feeling some relief as she returned the same sentiment to him. It was frustrating to not be able to go to Kaiba's side, but she knew that Yami wouldn't betray the trust. There was always a chance that Kaiba might get upset with her for giving Yami his home address, but somehow she didn't think he would object—even if the thought of anyone else being with what he considered solely his would probably irk him to some extent.

"What about you?" Yami finally asked, scowling as he shivered at her light laughter.

Smoothing his hair away from his face, she told him, "I am not in any danger."

The words comforted him until his mind rebelled and forced him to ask, "Is he?"

Yami was confused by the sad smile she gave him as she whispered, "Not anymore," with a far away look in her expressive eyes.

He wanted to pull away a little to put some more room between them, becoming overly self conscious of their physical closeness, but he still didn't move as he asked, "How can I let you know…?"

Cupping his cheek in her hand and brushing her thumb over his cheekbone, Ishi smiled kindly at him, genuinely touched by his concern. "There is no need," she reassured him, knowing that she would see Kaiba soon enough, once the last of the problems at the brothel had been dealt with properly.

Snorting derisively, Yami smarted off, "What, are you psychic now or something?"

"I have _many_ talents," Ishi sensuously purred loud enough to be heard by the man she knew to be watching.

The sheer innuendo of it made Yami's eyes go wide and she only laughed again, the sound echoing beautifully in the shower. "Go see him," Ishi urged, fervently hoping that Yami could go where she was not yet allowed. There was always a slim possibility that Yami was rejected by the gate security, but things at the mansion weren't quite the same circumstances as the brothel.

Nodding that he would, he was once again embarrassed when she took a slight step back and broke the embrace; it was inevitable for him to notice her form in such close quarters. She was a truly beautiful being, but he was more impressed with her continuing loyalty to Kaiba. "Thank you," he whispered again, meaning everything from helping him to taking care of Kaiba with those two simple words.

Smiling in understanding, Ishi gasped a false climax that caused Yami to groan her name in embarrassment that was close enough for their purposes. Only then did she shut off the water and gesture for him to get out of the shower. Mussing up his hair for another layer of believability, Yami followed her out and was relieved when Ishi handed him a towel to dry off with as she wrapped herself up in the fluffy white fabric. It made it easier to look at her without having to deal with her nudity. Even though it was ridiculous to feel like he was cheating on Kaiba by doing such a thing with Ishi, the feeling persisted all the same. It made him briefly wonder if Kaiba felt that way when he was with other patrons, but it was a thought best left alone.

Hurriedly putting on his clothes, Yami tried to ignore Ishi as she did the same. He was startled when she stood fully dressed before him sans her wig and embraced him once more. Feeling obligated to return it since they were no longer hidden from the cameras, he blushed further when she kissed him tenderly on the cheek. "I'm so glad you came," she purred with a giggle, causing him to roll his eyes at her blatancy.

Borrowing Kaiba's, "Hn," for a response, Yami couldn't help but feel relieved that their time was drawing to a close; it was too nerve wracking and he now had the means to go see Kaiba.

"I do hope that you manage to enjoy the rest of your evening," Ishi continued, causing Yami to smirk at the blatant innuendo that only they were privy to understanding.

"I'm quite certain I will," Yami replied, eager to find Kaiba and catch up on lost time.

She watched with a growing sense of hope as Yami left her standing alone in the room; it was the first time in a long time she had let herself feel that way when it came to Kaiba's situation. _Soon enough_, she thought as she started to get ready to return to her normal duties, smiling to herself in private amusement.

* * *

**A/N:** I hope everyone was as amused by this as I was. XD

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Throwing his arms around Kaiba's waist, Yami burrowed against the brunette's chest, almost sobbing with relief that it was actually real and not some horribly twisted dream. Kaiba's natural inclination to make further sarcastic commentary was silenced by the way Yami was trembling against him with genuine emotions and he embraced his ever persistent rival. The how and why could wait until later; for now, it was enough for Kaiba that Yami was there at all._

It's about damn time that Kaiba put in an appearance, ne?

The Kaibatastic update will go up on **Sunday, June 13th**, so I look forward to hearing from you all in the mean time!


	33. Chapter 33: Solace

**Chapter 33: Solace **

Whatever Yami had been expecting of Kaiba's house, an enormous Western style mansion behind bars was not anywhere on his mental list of expectations. The place was staggeringly large and even though Yami knew that the brothel was most likely profitable, he hadn't assumed it to be quite _that_ good.

Fidgeting slightly in nervousness, Yami finally forced himself to push the button on the call box and was startled to hear a cold voice demand, "State your business."

"Uh, I'm here to see Kaiba-kun," Yami answered, instinctively using Yuugi's form of addressing the teen. "We go to school together and—"

"Name?" the voice interrupted to ask.

Yami had a momentary fear that if he said his real name, maybe Gozaburo had put him on some sort of watch list or something ridiculous like that to ban him from seeing Kaiba. It was an irrational fear, but the paranoia wouldn't leave Yami, especially since both his first and last name were known. "Kurai," Yami lied, feeling ridiculous for saying it and hoping that Kaiba would understand the double meaning

There was nothing but silence and the minutes felt like hours as Yami fidgeted outside of the gates, just waiting for entrance or rejection. He was seriously on edge by the time a buzzer broke the silence, causing him to jump as the gates opened with a horrendous grating noise in the otherwise silent afternoon.

Taking it as permission to enter, Yami walked down the long path that led to the mansion, covertly looking around the grounds that never seemed to end. His attention was refocused when the main door opened before him, and Yami hesitated but for a moment before stepping inside the mansion and sliding off his shoes.

The grand staircase and massive entryway awed Yami, for he had only seen such grandeur in museums and government buildings. It was weird realizing that some people actually lived in such a way and Yami swallowed hard against the fluttering nervousness as he followed a young woman in a French maid's uniform up the elegantly stairs. The outfit almost made Yami feel like he was transported to a subsidiary brothel, but it was a thought he pushed out of his mind as each step brought him closer and closer to Kaiba.

Turning down a hallway and following her still, Yami felt like it was a corridor without end, as if the house itself defied physics and was larger on the inside than on the outside somehow. It seemed to take forever before they came to stop in front of a beautifully carved set of double doors and he jumped as her knock echoed loudly in the otherwise empty hallway that was decorated with the occasional vase and painting that Yami could only imagine what sort of fortune it cost.

When Yami heard Kaiba's commanding, "Enter," he felt a rush of relief overtake him as the maid opened the door and revealed the brunette lounging confidently on an oversized leather couch in a multistoried library with books as far as the eye could see.

Taking a few cautious steps into the room at her silent urging, Yami watched as Kaiba once again issued an order to the woman, "Leave us."

Only once the door was shut did Kaiba gracefully rise from the couch, slowly walking over to Yami who had yet to take his eyes off of the brunette. It was almost surreal for Yami, like he couldn't quite believe that Kaiba was actually standing in front of him, looking as if he were actually okay and unharmed. When Kaiba smirked arrogantly at Yami and commented, "Kurai? You seriously need to work on your code names," only then did it really click that he actually there and present.

Throwing his arms around Kaiba's waist, Yami burrowed against the brunette's chest, almost sobbing with relief that it was actually real and not some horribly twisted dream. Kaiba's natural inclination to make further sarcastic commentary was silenced by the way Yami was trembling against him with genuine emotions and he embraced his ever persistent rival. The how and why could wait until later; for now, it was enough for Kaiba that Yami was there at all.

They remained that way for some time, just taking in the comfort of knowing that they were both fine, that they had survived Gozaburo's machinations despite his best efforts to destroy them both. Finally, Yami confessed in a whisper, "I was so worried," making Kaiba frown slightly as he carded his fingers through tricolor hair in silent comfort, arching an eyebrow when he realized it was somewhat damp.

Telling Yami that he shouldn't have been was a pointless waste of time, so Kaiba merely said, "It's fine now," because for once it actually was. He still had some business to take care of, but now that he was freed from Gozaburo's tyranny, anything was possible.

"Is it really?" Yami questioned as he looked up at Kaiba with wide eyes filled with emotions.

"He can't hurt anyone anymore," Kaiba said, his words laced with a heaviness of reality rather than the lightness of freedom. "You're safe from him now."

"It wasn't me that I was worried about," Yami argued, having been far more concerned about Kaiba's wellbeing than his own.

The fierce protectiveness in that fiery scarlet gaze conveyed Yami's true worries and Kaiba gently caressed his rival's cheek. It would have annoyed him if he had thought Yami was being possessive of him, but he knew that it was just his rival's misguided emotional attachment. "He's gone now," Kaiba reiterated, hoping that if he said it enough, maybe he'd start to believe it. There was some bizarre fear that Gozaburo would find a way to cheat even death and return to make life a living hell, despite having seen the mangled corpse with his own eyes.

When Yami started to protest further, Kaiba leaned down and kissed those pouting lips that were finally too tempting to resist. It was a slow, sensual kiss rather than the frantic making up for lost time that Yami had expected. The silent affection betrayed through such tenderness made Yami feel weak in the knees as he savored the experience as kiss melted into kiss, heightened by the slow explorations of Kaiba's fingers along his body. It was an almost devastatingly beautiful moment and Yami sighed softly in contentment as he was completely captivated by Kaiba.

"I missed you," Yami accidently whispered in between kisses, the words escaping from him without permission.

Kaiba was taken aback but for a moment before he recovered and lightly groped Yami's ass and contradicted, "You mean you missed _this_."

"No, I meant I missed _you_, asshole," Yami growled through his embarrassment.

That flare of sincere indignation made Kaiba laugh—genuinely laugh—and it was a beautiful sound that made Yami pause. Rather than dwelling on it, Kaiba finally stepped things up and began kissing Yami passionately. Kaiba claimed Yami's mouth for his own as he pulled the shorter teen closer, needing to feel more of him.

Yami couldn't find it in him to object, so he gave in completely as Kaiba dominated his desires fully, leaving him breathless and dazed when they finally parted. Kaiba looked far too smug for Yami's tastes as the brunette led them over to the couch to sit, but he let it go in the interests of peace.

As much as Kaiba wanted to properly ravish Yami and catch up on lost time, he knew it wasn't quite the time for that yet. "So I'm curious," Kaiba admitted, "how _did_ you find me here?"

Looking down at his hands as his cheeks flushed against his will, Yami feared getting Ishi into trouble. Sensing his hesitance, Kaiba continued, "I suppose Ishi had something to do with it?"

Nodding in confirmation, Yami forced himself to say, "Yes," out loud in the hopes that it would be left at that.

The identity of Yami's source, combined with his inability to meet the brunette's gaze, and his damp tricolor hair made it easier for Kaiba to put together the pieces of what happened. "So you went back to Kaiba Corporation," Kaiba stated, making Yami squirm uncomfortably on the couch.

"I didn't want to break my promise, but I knew that it was to stay away from that bastard and since he was…._gone_ and I didn't know where else to go for information, I just…" Yami awkwardly tried to explain.

Trailing his finger along the delicate curve of Yami's ear, Kaiba said, "I'm not upset about that," before once again running his hand through that damp tricolor hair. "I'm just trying to figure out how she managed to get you in the shower to tell you where I lived."

Blushing as scarlet as his eyes, Yami made a noise of embarrassment as he looked up at Kaiba in shock. "It's—look, it's not what you think," Yami stammered, expecting accusations rather than amusement. "I just, I had to know and I didn't know who else to turn to and—"

Shushing Yami's rambling fears, Kaiba continued slowly caressing him to soothe the worked up teen. "She did exactly what I expected her to do under the circumstances," Kaiba informed Yami, although he was still enjoying the reappearance of the virginal innocent side of his rival.

Yami didn't know how to respond to that, so he just looked down at his hands once more, his mind trying to process what Kaiba's comment really meant. He was once again shocked into looking up when Kaiba continued to provoke him, "So how was she?"

After stuttering in his shock, Yami finally managed to indignantly question, "You think I fucked her?"

It was a bizarre thrill for Kaiba to get Yami to be that sort of vulgar and his perverse smirk did little to help the situation. "I expected her to put on a damn good show," Kaiba replied, his smirk widening at the thought of Yami's reaction.

"I couldn't—I mean, I would never…" Yami started to protest, but his words failed him.

"You could never be with someone like her?" Kaiba asked, intentionally playing the devil's advocate.

"She's beautiful, but she's not…" Yami tried to explain, before once again trailing off into an awkward silence.

"Not your type?" Kaiba prompted, getting a glare for his efforts. It made him move closer to Yami as he tilted his rival's head back a little to force him to face him. The flush of Yami's cheeks and the almost demure bashfulness was far too endearing to Kaiba, especially now that he had no longer had to struggle under Gozaburo's regulations. "Or is it because she isn't me?"

"You already know the answer to that question," Yami muttered, fidgeting under the intensity of Kaiba's gaze.

Leaning closer still, Kaiba murmured against Yami's lips, "Maybe I just want to hear you say it," before kissing him deeply once more, hiding from the rush of emotions his words inspired.

It stole Yami's breath away for multiple reasons and his heart was pounding as the deeper meaning of the words started to register despite Kaiba's efforts to distract him. Yami looked at Kaiba with a sense of awe when they parted and he was about to question the meaning further when he heard the sound of thudding footsteps rushing closer from just beyond the door.

Despite the warning of sound, Yami still jumped guiltily when a small boy burst into the room, exclaiming, "Nii-sama, guess what—_oh_!"

Grateful for his foresight and restraint, Kaiba gestured for him to come closer as he reassured him, "It's okay, Mokuba."

Standing still in the same spot he had stopped in, Mokuba apologized in a small voice, "I'm sorry, nii-sama, I didn't expect anyone else to be here and—"

"It's fine, but knock next time," Kaiba told him, gesturing once more for his brother to come closer. "What did you want to tell me?"

"It can wait," Mokuba protested, feeling horrible for interrupting his older brother, even if he was burning with curiosity about the stranger sitting so close to Kaiba.

"Mokbua," Kaiba said, a note of reprimand in his tone.

Glancing shyly at Yami before approaching Kaiba, some of Mokuba's enthusiasm came back as he informed his older brother, "My grade is going on an overnight fieldtrip to Kyoto!"

For once, Kaiba's mind was excited for the possibility of Mokuba's absence; it would mean he'd have the whole place to himself and he couldn't help but glance over at Yami as Mokuba fumbled to get out his paperwork. Kaiba accepted it when Mokuba handed it to him, partially listening as he scanned over the itinerary attached to the permission slip from the school. Mokuba quickly realized and stopped talking to let his brother concentrate, but it meant his attention was free to focus on the still silent stranger.

Yami had silently been studying the boy, trying to see the relation between them. Although the familial resemblance wasn't very apparent, it was easy enough to see in Mokuba's demeanor and grin. When Mokuba glanced over at him, Yami smiled at the boy in a friendly manner. He was somewhat surprised when Mokuba addressed him, "Are you nii-sama's friend?"

"Yes, we go to school together," Yami told the boy with another smile, figuring it was close enough to the truth to count; there was no need for details at such a young age.

Mokuba's grin grew even larger as his eyes lit up in joy as he exclaimed, "Really? That's so awesome!"

Signing the permission slip with a flourish, Kaiba handed it back to his brother and suggested, "Why don't you have Isono take you out and get something to celebrate?"

"Really?" Mokuba asked, his eyes going impossibly wide in his eagerness. "Nii-sama won't come with us?"

"We have a few things to…catch up on," Kaiba told Mokuba, constraining his perverseness to the slightest upturn of his lips at his innuendo. "Afterwards, whatever you want, promise."

"Nii-sama, you're the best!" Mokuba exclaimed as he launched himself at his older brother in a fierce, spontaneous hug.

"Hn, as if there was ever a doubt," Kaiba arrogantly commented as he loosely returned the hug. "Call my cell when you're heading back."

Mokuba was practically bouncing with his happiness as he agreed before telling Yami, "It was nice to meet you," pleased even further when the older teen returned the sentiment.

Once Mokuba scampered out of the room, Yami looked over at Kaiba who had a carefully constructed blank expression on his face. "He was your reason, wasn't he?" Yami softly asked, the sadness easy to discern in his voice.

"As if I would ever let that bastard make my younger brother work in such a place," Kaiba sneered, sending a shiver of disgust down Yami's spine.

The realization of just how much Kaiba had been manipulated and forced to sacrifice for the safety of his younger brother made Yami feel almost physically ill and he was hugging the brunette tightly before he even knew he had moved. "Oh, Seto," Yami whispered, over and over again as he hid his face against Kaiba's neck.

Hesitantly wrapping his arms around Yami, Kaiba indulged in the comfort, feeling unusually vulnerable for having Yami know the true reason he worked at the brothel. "He doesn't know," Kaiba found himself confessing, needing Yami to understand that much. Even though Gozaburo had threatened him countless times with it, Mokuba had remained completely innocent of what had actually been going on while Kaiba was "busy."

"I won't say anything," Yami reassured him, hating Gozaburo all the more for making Kaiba fear such a thing.

"He may have taken almost everything else, but I'd be damned if I'd let him take away Mokuba's innocence, too," Kaiba fiercely swore, knowing that he would have never forgiven himself if Gozaburo had gone through with any of his threats to make his younger brother work at his brothel or at Pegasus' Industrial Illusions brothel that catered to a more pedophilic clientele.

Yami listened to the stilted rant, wanting to encourage Kaiba to let it all out, but knowing the teen would probably clam up the second he suggested such a thing. When Kaiba finally fell silent, Yami asked, "What really happened?"

The question wasn't unexpected, but it was one that Kaiba didn't particularly want to answer. "The bastards got what was coming to them," Kaiba muttered with a shrug, even though he still thought they got off too easy. The two men could rot in hell for three eternities and it would still never be enough punishment for what they had done to him over the years.

"Something else happened," Yami hesitantly commented, pulling back just enough to make eye contact with Kaiba. "There's no way that someone like Gozaburo would ever just kill himself."

Frowning at Yami's perceptiveness, Kaiba sounded a little harsh when he retorted, "What difference does it make what happened? They're dead and that's all that matters."

"No, it's not," Yami disagreed, getting the distinct impression that Kaiba was once again withholding pertinent information from him.

"They both had countless enemies," Kaiba rationalized, "so it could have been anyone claiming their revenge."

"Including you?" Yami asked after a long pause.

Smirking viciously and purring, "Including me," in a way that had no right to be so devastatingly sexy under the circumstances, Kaiba further clouded Yami's mind with his response.

"Seto…" Yami said uncertainly, not knowing what else to say or do.

"Does it bother you?" Kaiba questioned, pinning Yami under his intense blue gaze. "To think that I could have taken matters into my own hands?"

"It would bother me more to know what they did to finally push you to such a breaking point," Yami honestly confessed after reflecting on it for a moment and trying to figure out if they were still talking in strict hypotheticals.

"Then don't think about it," Kaiba murmured before kissing Yami deeply in distraction, having come as close as he ever would to admitting what really happened that night. "They're gone and that's all that matters. We're _free_."

Yami still couldn't readily accept the situation and he asked, "But you're still going to be working at Kaiba Corporation?"

"Yes, as the owner," Kaiba confirmed, because there was no way in hell that he let someone like Pegasus take over the brothel and all of its profits after Gozaburo's sudden death. He had worked too hard and too long in that place to let it go to someone like him or anyone else for that matter, plus he wanted to protect most of the workers already employed there; they were good people and had supported him in their own way for the most part. "I still need to get rid of the night manager and a few other people before I go back, but it's only a matter of time."

"So that's what Ishi meant," Yami realized, feeling an immense sense of relief that distracted him temporarily from their previous conversation. "Does that mean…you won't be…I mean, with other people, or…?"

Despite Yami's awkward attempts to form the thought, Kaiba understood what he was trying to say. "Dragon will cease to be an option for anyone else," Kaiba confirmed, kissing Yami sensuously. Kaiba knew that part of him would never completely get rid of the traits that went with his Dragon persona, but he would never again be a whore; he was his own man and he would make his own decisions.

"For anyone—for anyone _else_?" Yami stuttered, trying to figure out if that meant for anyone else but him, or anyone else at all.

"Only you," Kaiba murmured in between kisses down Yami's sensitive neck, the words sending a thrill of excitement and nervousness through his veins at the same time. Never before had Kaiba been solely exclusive to someone; he was intrigued by the concept, but it was still a little intimidating in some respects. However, Yami had always accepted him as he was and Kaiba wasn't ready to give up his rival when they were finally free to be what they were without interference or prying eyes.

They were words Yami had never expected to hear and they filled him with a joy that was beyond expression. Relocating to Kaiba's lap once more, Yami began kissing him passionately with the full force of his emotion. Kaiba accepted it, pleased with both the reaction and the fact that he had successfully gotten them away from a topic he wished never to address again. Things were progressing quickly, his hands acting on their own accord to strip Yami out of his shirt, but that wasn't how Kaiba wanted things to happen.

When they parted for breath, Kaiba suggested, "Why don't we move this somewhere else?"

Although t he hormonal part of Yami just wanted to take Kaiba right then and there on the couch, Yami nodded his agreement and got off of the brunette. Grabbing his shirt and putting it back on, Yami silently followed Kaiba as he led the way down the hallway to the other side of the house, causing the scarlet eyed teen to grow more and more curious with every step they took toward their new destination.

* * *

**A/N:** So most of you probably weren't expecting Kaiba Mokuba when I said "Kaibatatic," but I know quite a few of you were hoping he'd pop up here at some point. So here he is!

We're starting to get some answers, but there's still plenty of story left here, promise.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_It was strange for Kaiba to have Yami in his actual room; even in his fantasies, he had never imagined doing anything to his rival in his actual bedroom. His room was primarily a place of bad memories and associations, but Kaiba couldn't bring himself to give Gozaburo the ultimate fuck you by having sex with Yami in the older man's bed. Walking behind Yami and embracing him, Kaiba rested his chin on the shorter teen's shoulder as he calmed himself by the very nearness of reality._

Next update is on **Sunday, June 20th** and we'll _finally_ have another lemon. It's been awhile, ne? So I guess I have to make it extra special under the circumstances. But you guys are worth it and so much more, so I thank you, as always.


	34. Chapter 34: Intimate

**A/N:** This is **92 percent lemon**, but it's surprisingly **heavy in plot points**, so enjoy the best of both worlds.

* * *

**Chapter 34: Intimate**

Once again, Yami felt like he had entered a room at the brothel rather than an actual bedroom. Kaiba's room was enormous and devoid of any personal artifacts, with barely any furniture to speak of to help fill the space. Yami furtively glanced around as Kaiba locked the large wooden door behind them, but there was nothing beyond the oversized bed that he was truly interested in at the moment.

It was strange for Kaiba to have Yami in his actual room; even in his fantasies, he had never imagined doing anything to his rival in his actual bedroom. His room was primarily a place of bad memories and associations, but Kaiba couldn't bring himself to give Gozaburo the ultimate fuck you by having sex with Yami in the older man's bed. Walking behind Yami and embracing him, Kaiba rested his chin on the shorter teen's shoulder as he calmed himself by the very nearness of reality. Gozaburo could never again subjugate or humiliate him by forcing Kaiba to do horrible things under threat of something even worse happening. Never again would Kaiba have to face a painful punishment for disobeying or have to feel those treacherous hands on his skin again. For the first time since his adoption, his body, his life, his choices were his and his alone; Kaiba would never again let anyone take such liberties away from him.

The thought of giving himself over to Yami willingly, knowing that his rival was there for him as Seto and not as anyone else, was somehow a little intimidating to Kaiba. He was sharing himself as he was, not the illusion of Dragon he had shielded himself with for so many years. Even though that had been true for all of their recent meetings, the permanence of the concept was still slow to sink in for Kaiba, that he would never have to be that person again.

Yami grew concerned by Kaiba's continued silence and he turned around to face the brunette with an unspoken question in his scarlet eyes. Kaiba softly cradled Yami's cheek in the palm of his hand, caressing him with his thumb without ever looking away. Yami covered Kaiba's hand with his own, leaning into the tenderness with a sigh of contentment. He couldn't understand the complicated emotion in those cerulean eyes, but Yami could see the desire laced with something more.

Kissing Yami with a gentleness that managed to steal his breath away, Kaiba indulged himself in his rival, taking his time before seeking entrance into that wet warmth that had him so captivated. Yami gave in without protest, embracing Kaiba as their passions slowly manifested themselves in a way never previously allowed. It was exhilarating despite the slow pace, their hands mindlessly working off their clothes as they continued.

Yami hesitantly ran his hands over Kaiba's back and was surprised to find it unmarred, as if his old wounds had already healed away. It gave him a little more confidence about what had occurred while Kaiba was absent, but his mind still wanted to know more. He wasn't given long to think on the matter because of Kaiba's talented tongue and teasing touches, just _feeling_ more of him. It was incredibly sensuous and it recalled Yami's previous need for Kaiba that had been building over his weeks of absence. He was almost painfully aroused and it was a relief when Kaiba started moving them toward the bed.

When Yami got onto the bed, only then did Kaiba pause and look at his rival spread out so beautifully on his sheets. The sight was glorious and it made Kaiba's cock twitch in anticipation for what was about to happen. He was moved to action by the breathless way Yami said his name, finally motivating Kaiba to join his rival on the bed. This time when he kissed Yami, there was a slight aggression in it, a possessive need to claim his rival for his own in a way he had never been allowed to, had never wanted to until now. Yami moaned into the action as he wrapped his arms around Kaiba's neck, embedding his fingers in that brunette hair he had missed touching.

While Kaiba very well could have contented himself with such things, he moved on to teasing Yami's body into a heightened state of arousal. He loved watching the way his rival was writhing, the desperate way Yami was arching his body to try and gain more contact with Kaiba's. The little mewls of frustration continued to build once Kaiba started prepping Yami with slicked fingers, taking his time with it just because he could.

As much as Yami enjoyed the attention he was receiving and how it made him feel, he still needed more than that and he was going crazy from the need that was getting worse by the second from building up over the past weeks. "Seto, _please_," Yami urged him, his body moving down on Kaiba's long fingers for a more substantial feeling.

"Hm?" Kaiba hummed, feigning ignorance as he spread his fingers inside of Yami as a test.

"Seto, I want you," Yami answered, his voice hitching when Kaiba ghosted over that space inside of him that made him shudder.

"Want me to do what?" Kaiba questioned with a slight leer, enjoying toying with Yami.

Scarlet eyes pleaded with Kaiba for understanding as Yami repeated with emphasis, "Seto, I want _you_, so _please_…"

"Are you sure?" Kaiba asked, only somewhat in jest. Not even Gozaburo had been able to take all of him; Kaiba had held onto that much at the very least. The man may have done untold things to him physically and mentally, but there was a part of Kaiba that had never completely given in and given up to such treatment. "Can you—"

Kaiba was never given a chance to finish his line of thought as Yami leaned up and captured him in a harsh kiss that betrayed his rival's intense need and desire. "I want to be with you," Yami breathlessly insisted once they parted, babbling in an attempt to convince Kaiba to commit to what he was tempting with so cruelly. "Anything, so—"

"You know I'm clean, right?" Kaiba murmured as he withdrew his fingers from Yami.

It took a moment for his hormone addled mind to make the connection to what Kaiba was referring to and he vaguely remembered the small print in the brothel book that reassured patrons that all of the employees used protection and were regularly tested for diseases. "Okay," Yami replied, groaning at the loss inside of him and failing to make the connections.

"Do you trust me?" Kaiba asked, not moving until he had his answer.

"Yes," Yami confirmed, a bit too quickly for Kaiba's liking.

"Even with that?" Kaiba pressed, ignoring the excited twitch of his cock at the possibility of being inside of Yami without any barriers between them. It was one of the few things that Kaiba had never experienced; perhaps it was a bit reckless of him, but it bespoke of ultimate trust for him.

There was an intensity in Kaiba's eyes that momentarily brought clarity to Yami even as Kaiba's hand started slowly stroking his member. He thought he understood what was being asked of him and Yami felt the need to clarify, "Without a condom?"

Nodding in confirmation, Kaiba found himself holding his breath as he awaited Yami's decision. It was that slightly guarded expression that betrayed to Yami it meant more to Kaiba than he probably could comprehend. Kaiba had always been particular about using them, even when they were alone together outside of the brothel setting; it made Yami suspect that something deeper was being asked of him.

"If that's what you want," Yami finally said, feeling a little shy at the open admission. "I'm yours, so—"

"_Mine_," Kaiba growled, the nearly feral possessiveness sending a shudder through Yami at the dark passion that flitted through blue eyes like a beautiful storm.

"Always," Yami agreed, gasping when Kaiba kissed him with the full force of his need. It distracted him from the way Kaiba prepped himself for what was to come, realizing they were moving on only when he felt the tip of Kaiba pressing against him.

"There's no turning back after this," Kaiba warned him, his body screaming at him for stopping short of his goal.

His lips turning up into the slightest of smiles, Yami caressed Kaiba's cheek as he softly replied, "There never was."

Smirking arrogantly, Kaiba agreed, "True," before slowly sinking into Yami and gasping at the sensation. He hadn't expected it to feel so different, but it was noticeable enough to make him still temporarily to get accustomed to it as he moaned Yami's name. Yami was likewise having a similar reaction, his hands tightly clinging to Kaiba's biceps as his mind blanked in the ecstasy of finally having that emptiness filled that had been tormenting him ever since his rival had left.

Yami loved the sound of his name in Kaiba's sigh, arching with a soft groan of need as he tried to take him in even deeper. He kept repeating, "Seto," like a mantra, wanting more of him and getting desperate at the denial.

It was enough to finally encourage Kaiba to move and he shuddered at the slick warmth that was unlike anything he had ever experienced. He fell deeper and deeper into Yami with every thrust, losing himself completely in his rival's eager willingness to accept him in all ways. Their pace slowed into gentleness as they distracted themselves with kisses, their hands moving everywhere at once in an attempt to narrow what little distance was left between them. Kaiba was completely captivated by all that was Yami, but there weren't enough words to do anything more than moan in pleasure.

Yami's mind was in a similar state of chaotic bliss, his body moving on its own accord as he experienced all of Kaiba, wrapping his legs around the brunette's slender waist in an attempt to get even closer. And yet it still didn't feel like enough; Yami selfishly wanted and needed more. He knew he wouldn't be able to last for very much longer with the way that Kaiba was stroking him, but Yami valiantly tried to hold out as long as he could. It finally proved to be too much and Yami came with Seto's name on his lips, completely forgetting to mind his voice. He wasn't given the chance to apologize for it because Kaiba was once against sealing his mouth with his own, making Yami shudder at the way his tongue was imitating the way he was thrusting.

Kaiba wasn't ready for it to be over, but the newness of the experience worked past his regular defenses and he climaxed with a moan of satisfaction that Yami echoed as he felt the action in a new way. Kaiba couldn't move immediately, nor did he want to; instead they remained entwined, Yami showering him with kisses on any part he could reach.

When Kaiba finally pulled out, he settled himself onto his bed rather than suggesting that they immediately go to the shower. Yami was quick to snuggle up to him and Kaiba allowed it, wrapping his arm around the teen in a protective embrace. There were no words needed in that moment; they just remained as they were, content to be near each other in the aftermath of their shared experience. Kissing Yami's forehead, Kaiba allowed himself a small smile at the quiet noise of pleasure it earned him. For once he was legitimately safe and that made it all the sweeter to enjoy his ultimate victory over his past experience.

* * *

**A/N:** I think that's a proper welcome home, ne? It's about time those two got to catch up with each other~.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_I brought something back with me from Macau that might be of interest to you," Kaiba casually stated, internally laughing at what he had planned for the mutt. "Consider it a peace offering of sorts."_

There's always something afoot in this fic. Find out what happens next on **Sunday, June 27th** when I post the update!


	35. Chapter 35: Returning

**Chapter 35: Returning**

When Yami walked into class the next morning and saw Kaiba confidently sitting at his desk reading a book, it made the teen pause as he stared at the brunette. Despite everything that had happened between them yesterday, part of Yami still couldn't help but question whether or not Kaiba was actually there or if it was yet another cruel trick of imagination. He was easily distracted by the way Kaiba's fingers were absentmindedly caressing the spine of the book he was reading and it gave Yami all sorts of reminders about what it felt like when it was him instead of a book receiving the attention.

"You could at least try and act a little subtle," Kaiba teased with a smirk that snapped Yami out of his reverie.

"Sorry, it's just…I thought you might not be in today, so…" Yami attempted to explain as he walked toward his desk to drop off his stuff.

Setting down his book, Kaiba scoffed, "What else would I be doing? Mourning?"

Not knowing whether or not to laugh, Yami settled for smiling wanly as he replied, "I suppose not."

There was a sadness in those crimson depths that made Kaiba stand up and approach Yami since they were still the only two in the classroom. Loosely embracing Yami, Kaiba told him, "There's no need to look like that."

"Are you really okay?" Yami questioned softly, wanting to hug Kaiba back, but afraid to for fear of not wanting to let go when the other students arrived.

"You still have to ask me that after last night?" Kaiba murmured as he boldly kissed Yami despite the inherent danger of being walked in on by others.

"Seto, I'm being serious," Yami protested when they parted.

Before Kaiba could answer, the classroom door slid open and Jounouchi walked in and shut the door despite his shock. "I guess I should be thankful you're not fucking on the desk," Jounouchi muttered, resigning himself to the inevitable confrontation.

"You have no idea," Kaiba purred, sensuously kissing Yami's neck as he looked over at Jounouchi with a smirk.

Refusing to take the deliberate bait, Jounouchi decided to take the higher road and ignore the provocation for once. "Hey man, for what it's worth, I'm sorry to hear about your dad," Jounouchi told Kaiba.

"_Why_?" Kaiba questioned, surprised both about the sentiment and by the fact that the mutt actually seemed to mean it.

"Because he was your dad," Jounouchi said with a shrug as he walked over to his desk.

"That man was _not_ my father," Kaiba replied with more venom in his voice than he had intended; he was only aware of it because of Yami's arms finally returning the hug and holding him closer in silent comfort. It was annoying, but Kaiba didn't reject it, nor would he ever admit to hugging Yami that much tighter.

There was a look of understanding in Jounouchi's eyes that confused Kaiba, as well as the sadness that he didn't even begin to know how to process. "Maybe not, but he was all that you had," Jounouchi pointed out, thinking of his own father's degeneration because of alcoholism. He had come to accept that the man who raised him was not the raving drunk that he lived with since his mom and sister had left them, but it still hurt to acknowledge sometimes. "I hate my asshole of a dad, but even I'd be sad if he died."

"Yeah, but you're an idiot," Kaiba bluntly countered, earning him a subtle jab in the ribs from Yami that had him scowling down at the teen.

Rather than getting offended as he might have normally, Jounouchi grinned broadly and argued, "I may be an idiot, but at least I'm smart enough to recognize I'd miss who my dad used to be."

There was nothing that Kaiba could say to that other than, "Hn," but he still refused to relinquish his hold on Yami. Jounouchi's words provided him with an unwanted memory about the man he had met in the orphanage, the man Gozaburo had been before he had revealed his true character and forced Kaiba to become Dragon. He had been a man that for a short while, Kaiba had been proud to call father, had actually meant it when he used the term; it's why the betrayal had been all the worse when it had happened and he suspected the sole reason for the guise.

The look in Kaiba's eyes was a little worrisome and Yami softly prompted him, "Seto?"

Yami swore that he could taste the sadness in Kaiba's sudden kiss; it was evident enough that even Jounouchi didn't protest the action because he had seen the flicker of disturbance in those flinty eyes and he knew better than to say anything more. It hadn't been Jounouchi's intention since he was only trying to make peace between them for Yami's sake, so he just adverted his gaze from what felt like an uncomfortably personal moment for the couple.

"He's gone now," Kaiba whispered as he rested his forehead against Yami's for a moment, although whether he meant the man he had once called father or the man that he had watched bleed out on the concrete was up for debate.

Yami thought he felt Kaiba's hand trembling slightly and he interlaced their fingers together to give a reassuring squeeze when he affirmed, "He can't hurt you anymore."

"I wish that was true," Kaiba whispered against Yami's shoulder before he had even realized the words had escaped him, let alone the deeply personal revelation that shocked him more than his rival.

The sniffle betraying tears came from Yami and it made Kaiba pull back enough to look down at him questioningly. He barely registered the fact that Jounouchi got up and went outside, leaving them alone again; Kaiba couldn't see anything other than the tears falling from crimson. "Why are you crying?" Kaiba asked as he used his thumb to wipe away a tear, completely at a loss as to what had just happened.

"Because you can't," Yami answered, his heart heavy with sorrow for everything Kaiba had lost, rather than out of anger at the situation Gozaburo had caused.

Moving without thought, Kaiba kissed away another tear that fell, whispering, "Thank you," against Yami's cheek before he even knew what he meant.

Yami burrowed himself against Kaiba's chest, letting the tears fall unbidden from his eyes as he accepted the sanctuary of those strong arms holding him close. Kaiba rested his chin on top of Yami's head and just held him as his rival vicariously expressed what he no longer allowed himself to feel. It made Kaiba experience a conflicting set of emotions, but he repressed everything else for the moment and focused only on holding Yami until the sniffling quieted down and he felt those lips press a tender kiss against his neck.

Kaiba was about to say something when he became aware of Jounouchi's voice loudly complaining from outside, "Dude, I seriously don't understand why you want into homeroom that badly. Are you really that eager for class to start?"

"The mutt's seriously playing guard dog?" Kaiba realized with a snort, forcing himself to step back even though he didn't want to. It made Yami laugh despite the emotions he had been overwhelmed by and he smiled up at Kaiba as he wiped away the tearstains on his face. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Yami confirmed with a small smile as he took a deep breath and stepped back to create a more socially acceptable distance between them.

Jounouchi finally walked into the classroom, followed by a steady stream of their fellow classmates who were all complaining about the blonde's failed form of protest. Kaiba made eye contact with Jounouchi and inclined his head in silent gratitude, although he still scowled when the mutt looked a little too pleased with himself. He wasn't given long to think about it because Yuugi came bounding over to him and threw himself on Kaiba in a hug that had everyone whispering in shock as he exclaimed, "I'm so glad that you're back!"

"I can't imagine why," Kaiba dryly replied, but his tone wasn't unkind as he looked down at Yuugi with the slightest upturn of his mouth.

Yuugi beamed up at him, even though there was a trace of watery sadness in his eyes as well. "I'm fine," Kaiba reassured him, feeling it was unnecessary and yet unable to stop himself. It made him realize that he was getting soft and Kaiba blamed Yami entirely for it.

"I know," Yuugi told him with a broad smile before letting go, sniffling a little but still holding himself together.

When Anzu hugged him next, Kaiba just stood there rigidly and received the baffling attention as she echoed Yuugi's sentiment, "It's good to have you back, Seto-kun."

Arching an eyebrow at the change in address, Kaiba let it go and just shrugged; he didn't know what to say to any of it. Kaiba glanced at Jounouchi, assuming that he would say something obnoxious to break the weird moment and distract him, causing the blonde to loudly object, "What the hell are you looking at me for? I'm not hugging you, you bastard!"

Yami's unrestrained laughter caused Kaiba to relax a little and he replied with a perverse smirk, "You would if you knew what I had to offer you."

Jounouchi's jaw dropped at the outright innuendo and he spluttered, blushing brightly when Yami made a somewhat lewd noise of agreement and looked up at Kaiba with a shared smile that betrayed exactly what he was assuming. "Oh, come on!" Jounouchi finally managed to exclaim, ruffling his hair in agitation. "Yami!"

"What?" Yami questioned with his most innocent look, causing Kaiba to snort beside him.

"You know what," Jounouchi muttered, glaring at his friend.

"Yeah, I guess I do," Yami said with a dirty smirk of his own that set off Jounouchi's indignant syllables of outrage.

"No, you two do not get to tag team me—damn it!" Jounouchi started to say before cutting himself off when he realized how poor his choice of words was.

The teacher walked in, preventing Kaiba from making any retort back and she couldn't help but smile, even as she reprimanded them, "While I can appreciate the fact that you missed your sparring partner, the rest of us would like to start class now."

"Hey, who are you calling my partner?" Jounouchi demanded as he looked at the woman with irritation, still riled up from the previous insinuations. "Besides, I doubt the rest of us would like to start class."

"I doubt they'd like to listen to your bickering, either. So, we'll proceed to something far more educational unless you have any further objections," she sarcastically replied, a hard edge of warning in her tone.

"I'm quite certain our conversation could be enlightening on many levels," Kaiba found himself commenting, causing the teacher to raise both of her eyebrows at him in surprise. "After all, education can take numerous forms, _sensei_."

The sensuous rumble of his voice made her blush and it caused Yami to remember the night he had spent with Kaiba in the brothel's classroom and their banter about him teaching a class on sex. Kaiba had intended the latter comment to inspire that reaction in Yami and judging from the startled noise from behind him, he had succeeded. "However, I have no further objections to _this_ lesson," Kaiba continued, casually walking back to his seat with a playful wink at Yami.

"Uh, right then," she said, clearing her throat to help ease some of the awkward tension that had settled in the classroom. "If Katsuya-san and Mutou-san would take their seats…"

The two friends shared a look, causing Yami to shrug at Jounouchi's silent question before returning to his desk. He spent the rest of the class trying desperately not to dwell in memories that were best left alone—or at least until he was alone with Kaiba.

* * *

As soon as homeroom was over and most of the students had filed out, Yami and the rest of the Yuugi-tachi were surprised by Kaiba walking over and approaching Jounouchi. The blonde was instantly on his full guard, not liking the look of dark amusement in those blue eyes that were far too close for comfort. He had not fully been able to forget the feel of Kaiba's body against his and it had provided more than one awkward moment for Jounouchi ever since. It didn't help that Kaiba was standing unusually close to him, causing Jounouchi's heart rate to accelerate against his will. "Wh-what do you want?" Jounouchi stuttered, cursing himself for doing so and for his poorly chosen phrase.

"Nothing you can give me," Kaiba said in a low tone that made Jounouchi shudder despite himself.

"Knock it off, you know what I meant," Jounouchi growled, not liking the fact that he was essentially pinned in place because of his desk.

"I brought something back with me from Macau that might be of interest to you," Kaiba casually stated, internally laughing at what he had planned. "Consider it a peace offering of sorts."

Curious despite his reservations about trusting Kaiba, Jounouchi merely prompted, "Meaning?"

"They are…exceptionally skilled in a way I believe you would—shall we say, _appreciate_," Kaiba explained, his smirk giving Jounouchi his first clue.

"Are you implying what I think you are?" Jounouchi hesitantly asked, afraid to get his hopes up that he'd be allowed to return to the brothel he had been banned from earlier.

"Consider it on the house," Kaiba confirmed, causing Yami to be surprised almost as much as Jounouchi.

"Uh, thanks," Jounouchi replied, although it sounded more like a question.

Smiling in a way that brought back more reminders for Jounouchi of the reason he had been banned in the first place, Kaiba said, "I sincerely doubt I'll be the one receiving such _gratitude_."

Having said what he intended, Kaiba started to walk out of the room. Yami started to follow, but Jounouchi called out for him to stop, so he waited, even as Kaiba left the room. "Do you have any idea what he's talking about?" Jounouchi asked his friend.

"No more than you," Yami replied with a shrug before leaving, startled when Kaiba was waiting for him. Looking at Kaiba's self-satisfied smugness, Yami got the suspicion that there was more to what was being offered. "What exactly are you planning?"

"I'm voluntarily lifting the ban," Kaiba replied with a hint of indignation. "He should be satisfied with that."

"Why does something tell me that there's more to it than that?" Yami questioned.

Looking over his shoulder with a grin that made Yami feel warm inside as his heart beat that much quicker, Kaiba answered, "Because you know me better than that."

Grinning at Kaiba's response, they walked up the stairs together, although Yami almost stumbled when the brunette added, "Besides, he's pretty enough to be a girl, so the mutt shouldn't have too many complaints."

This time it was Yami who was left gapping at Kaiba as he exclaimed, "Seto! What exactly are you…?"

"You'll see," Kaiba promised, before rephrasing his response. "Rather, it will be revealed to you later, since you'll be otherwise occupied."

"Will I now?" Yami asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Oh yes," Kaiba moaned in Yami's ear, "you will be _fully_ occupied."

Turning around and facing Kaiba with shock, Yami couldn't help but laugh at the playfulness that chased away lingering shadows in cerulean. "You're horrible!" Yami protested, even though he couldn't stop laughing.

"Hn, you say that now," Kaiba said, "but I'll have you moaning otherwise later."

"That sounds like a challenge," Yami commented, even though he was having a hard enough time controlling his hormonal response.

"There's no challenge when it's a fact," Kaiba said with a look of smug superiority that had Yami protesting as they entered their next class.

* * *

**A/N:** This is one of those chapters that sort of took its own detour and ended up in a better place for it. A surprisingly flux of emotions, but sometimes that's just how grief works.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_I say something like that and all you can manage is, 'Oh,' in response?" Kaiba joked, trying to find a way to get out of the moment that had gone on for far too long for his tastes. _

The next chapter is going to be a long one with a _very_ important lemon in it. I'd almost go so far as to say it's another major turning point for them. I expect to post it sometime on **Sunday, July 4th**. If there's an unexpected delay due to the holiday, I'll put an announcement up on my Livejournal and Twitter, though. I'll try to avoid that, as always! And thanks for the continued support and wonderful reviews. You guys are the best!


	36. Chapter 36: Real

**A/N:** This is **plot** that decided to hide itself in a **lemon**…

* * *

**Chapter 36: Real**

Being able to walk out of school together without fear of reprisal was more liberating than Kaiba would have imagined and he ushered Yami into his personal limo that was waiting for them down the road to avoid drawing undue attention to themselves from students. There was a certain air of secrecy around the events and Yami asked, "Where are we going?"

"You'll see," was all Kaiba said on the subject, leaning back against the comfortable leather and finding himself relaxing from the stress of having accepted sympathies all day from his teachers about his loss. _If only they knew_, he sneered, but that uncomfortable sensation from Jounouchi's early point still lingered somewhere in the back of his mind, just waiting to be dealt with later.

The sight of Kaiba reclined bonelessly into the seat recalled memories that were enough to stir Yami to bold actions that he might otherwise have been disinclined to act on; then again, he was still suffering from weeks of withdrawal from the brunette's presence. Rushed touches and quick kisses just weren't enough to satiate his need and Yami knew he should have been disturbed by how deeply his want for Kaiba had grown over the absence. Shyly straddling himself on Kaiba's lap, Yami couldn't help but grin when Kaiba merely quirked an eyebrow and asked with the faintest trace of amusement, "Yes?"

"Nothing," Yami replied before indulging in a sweet kiss, his hands instinctively seeking out Kaiba.

Loosely embracing Yami around his waist, Kaiba allowed the action; he didn't give a damn what his driver thought of what was going on in the backseat. After all, that was what the privacy screen was for and a sizable paycheck to keep Isono's damn mouth shut on the matter. Instead of worrying himself over it, Kaiba focused on the way Yami's hips were instinctively shifting against him, the absentminded grind that belied what his rival truly wanted.

Yami eventually moved on from Kaiba's lips to his neck, worshipping the pale expanse that was accessible despite the Prussian collar of their school uniforms. He nuzzled against the crook of Kaiba's neck when he felt strong fingers slipping under his uniform shirt to find purchase on bare skin, causing Yami's hips to thrust hard in response. It allowed Kaiba to feel the growing hardness that he was unsurprised to discover and he grinned in triumph as he warned, "We really don't have time for this…"

"Then make time," Yami growled in a rare show of aggression that caused Kaiba's cock to twitch at the promise of what it could mean for them later.

"We'll have plenty once we get there," Kaiba promised, having no intentions of doing anything other than what he wanted for the rest of the day. He had one more day before he had to return back to Kaiba Corporation and he'd much rather spend it in Yami's company than with the alternative.

"And where is 'there' exactly?" Yami questioned as he switched sides and languidly licked his way along Kaiba's pulse point and up toward his ear. He was amazed that it was actually possible to miss the taste of someone, wanting to savor another sensation of Kaiba in such a manner.

Rather than answering immediately, Kaiba removed his hands from the tempting skin of Yami's back and embedded his fingers in that lush tricolored hair instead. "You'll see," Kaiba said once more, earning him a noise of annoyance from Yami at the repetitive non-answer.

* * *

It took some effort to detangle Yami from him, but they finally exited the limo upon arrival at their destination. Yami was still shifting with unease at his arousal as he tried to distract himself by figuring out where they were. It seemed to be another exclusively expensive high rise apartment building and he hurried after Kaiba, feeling self-conscious for still being in his school uniform.

Much like the previous building, the elevator was operated with a keycard, only this time it took them straight to the top floor. The doors pinged open with a melodious noise, revealing a spacious apartment that was actually less furnished than the Domino City one Yami had visited previously. "Did you just…move in?" Yami hesitantly asked as he sipped off his shoes, wondering if it was that or a serious case of disregard for comfortable aesthetics. There wasn't so much as a couch, table, or chair visible, just a long expanse of hardwood floor that met floor to ceiling glass walls.

"Two days ago," Kaiba confirmed as he led the way over to a spiral stair case made out of frosted glass and stainless steel. "I'd rather own my own place than rely on the alternatives."

Following Kaiba up the stairs, Yami assumed he was referring to the blackmail situation that had afforded him the other apartment he had visited. "No time for furniture?" Yami wryly asked.

"I have what counts," Kaiba said with a smirk as he walked into the bedroom, where an extra large bed with the finest of sheets was waiting for them.

"Why am I not surprised?" Yami asked with a laugh as Kaiba started to strip him of his school jacket. "Is this seriously the only thing in this place?"

"I got nightstands," Kaiba defensively countered as he shrugged out of his own coat.

Rolling his eyes at the week retort, Yami guessed, "They probably came with the bed."

"Fine, it was part of a set," Kaiba admitted with a scowl, having no knowledge of it until they arrived. It was fortuitous enough since it gave him a place for a light and storage for his accessories that he was very much looking forward to getting to use later with Yami.

"Since when did they include the sheets?" Yami questioned, even as his fingers sought out Kaiba's shirt and began to unbutton it. "And a lamp?"

"Is that what you're really interested in right now?" Kaiba retorted, returning the favor and enjoying the feel of Yami's skin as he slid the shirt off of him.

"Point taken," Yami conceded, taking the initiative to kiss Kaiba and getting completely caught up in the feeling of being against him again.

It was a glorious feeling and Kaiba held the shorter teen closer, contenting himself with it for a few moments before attempting to rid Yami of his pants. There was too much fabric between them and Kaiba didn't want any barriers between them; he had waited all day for this moment and he didn't intend to be denied anything. The rest of their clothes came off quickly, forming a pile around them, completely disregarded in their interest for each other.

"That's more like it," Kaiba groaned as he finally succeeded in baring all of Yami, his fingers trailing lightly against the beautiful body he couldn't get enough of touching.

It caused Yami to shiver as he pressed closer to Kaiba, embracing him with a soft noise of agreement. Being able to hold Kaiba in the afternoon light, sealed off from the rest of the world was surreal in its own right, but Yami wouldn't give it up for anything. He reluctantly parted when Kaiba led him over to the large bed, but he didn't protest the direction things were starting to go. It was surprising to see Kaiba get on the bed first, but Yami was startled when he was pulled on top of the brunette. Rearranging himself into a less awkward position, Yami felt his arousal start to return at the sight of Kaiba splayed so beautifully beneath him.

For a moment they simply remained as they were before Yami slowly lowered himself to kiss Kaiba tenderly, trying not to get too caught up in sensations. He wanted to savor Kaiba, take his time in a way that he usually was denied. It was rare for Yami to be in a position to have access to Kaiba's body in such a way outside of the brothel and he decided to take advantage of it as he refamiliarized himself with things too long denied.

Kaiba indulged in the sensations, shivering when he felt the flutter of Yami's eyelashes against his skin while he slid lower for another kiss. The feeling of those fingers touching him so reverently was enough to stir Kaiba's desires and he focused on nothing other than who was trying so hard to pleasure him. He kept his eyes open, watching as Yami continued to move against him, slowly hardening under the gentle attention that was still such an unusual experience for him. The slowness of it lulled Kaiba into complacency, but he was soon surprised by the feeling of Yami sliding lower still and gently urging him to spread his legs further apart to accommodate the new position.

With some amount of hesitation, Kaiba complied and inhaled sharply when he felt Yami start to trail kisses up his inner thigh. When Yami finally touched Kaiba's arousal, it was almost a relief, but that quickly turned to shock when he felt an unexpected flick of a tongue trace it from base to tip. "Yami?" Kaiba questioned, not certain about the direction things were starting to go. He logically understood what Yami was attempting to do, but Kaiba had some reservations about it, even if he couldn't explain them completely.

Looking up with a playful expression that made Kaiba's cock harden further, he shifted his hips when he felt Yami once again tentatively trace his length with his tongue. Still, Kaiba felt obligated to tell Yami, "You don't have to do that."

"I know, but I want to," Yami softly said, blushing in a way that was doing little to help Kaiba's situation.

"As long as you're sure," Kaiba conceded, still wary about the matter. "I just…look, I just don't want you to feel pressured to do something you're not comfortable with."

It was reassuring and sweet to hear, but Yami had made up his mind some time ago on the issue. He enjoyed it when Kaiba went down on him and he had never had the chance to return the favor; it seemed awkward, but he knew that the end result was worth it. "I just want to make you feel good," Yami finally stated, causing Kaiba to feel a surge of an unfamiliar emotion of fondness for his rival.

"You do," Kaiba reassured him with a caress, meaning it in more ways than even he could comprehend.

Kissing Kaiba's palm before moving away from the touch, Yami reiterated, "I want to," before refocusing on his task. Thinking of what made him feel best when Kaiba did it to him, Yami started off by lathing the underside of the erection, building up to what he was intending to do. Even though he wanted to please Kaiba, part of him was still a little nervous; the whole concept was a little intimidating to him on some level, but he couldn't in good faith continue to enjoy what he refused to do.

It wasn't as horrible as he had feared, but it wasn't exactly the most pleasant thing he had ever done before. Not letting it deter him, Yami cautiously took part of Kaiba's erection into his mouth and tried not to get too freaked out by how large it felt, doing his best to accommodate it. Opening his mouth a little wider, Yami slid a bit further down and tried his best to apply suction in a way he hoped felt good. Most of the time his eyes betrayed him by closing or he was too focused on Kaiba to pay attention to what specifically he was doing with his mouth and Yami made a note to change that the next time he received a blowjob; he could tell he was doing it wrong, but he wasn't the type to give up on anything.

Kaiba focused on staying as still as possible, not wanting to make any sudden moves to choke Yami or cause him to panic at taking too much in at once. It was an awkward feeling, but Kaiba could tell it was important to Yami to do this, so he bit back the urge to give instruction and waited for him to figure out the mechanics of it. He was confident that Yami had probably done research, but putting it into practical use was an entirely different matter. There was a glimmer of hope once he felt Yami attempting to move his tongue in conjunction with a slight bob of his head, but he wasn't going to cum from that alone. He wanted to stop Yami, but Kaiba found himself resistant to doing so when he thought about how much courage it must have taken for him to try. Yami didn't like losing and his inexperience was a guaranteed loss in the face of Kaiba's years of experience of giving head; he could at least give his rival that much credit. Still, it was hard to ignore the occasional brush of teeth that Yami was struggling to prevent and not entirely succeeding.

Yami was getting frustrated with his own inability, especially since Kaiba did it with such grace to make it look simple. However, his jaw was already starting to ache from the unfamiliar activity and he knew he had barely gotten started. It made him push himself further, trying to take in more of Kaiba as he attempted to work the length in his mouth, but his body rejected it with a gag when he went too far.

Kaiba felt it the instant it happened and his hands were already reaching for Yami to try and get him to back off as he told the teen, "Breathe."

Releasing Kaiba as he tried to hold back another gag reflex, Yami stared up at blue eyes, incensed by what he saw. When Yami attempted to try again and was rebuffed, he glared angrily at Kaiba, his irritation at himself manifesting itself in his expression.

Yami looked so petulantly put out over being denied that Kaiba found himself laughing, which made a bad situation worse. It was just so ridiculous to Kaiba that he couldn't stop chuckling and just when he got control, Yami growled, "What the fuck, Seto?"

It started off another round of chuckling and Kaiba managed to get out a, "Sorry," that didn't sound very apologetic at all. When Yami started to sit up to confront him, Kaiba reached up and pulled Yami into a hug, holding him close to his chest. "I'm sorry, I wasn't laughing at you."

"Maybe when you can say that without _actually_ laughing, I'll believe you," Yami muttered, his cheeks flushed in his embarrassment and shame. "You know, when I said I wanted to make you feel good, this isn't what I meant…"

It was too much for Kaiba and he rolled them over, pinning Yami against the bed as he looked down at him with amusement. "When the hell did you get so damn adorable?" Kaiba scoffed as he grinned in a rare moment of openness.

Yami wanted to hold onto his anger, but it was so hard to turn away from the expression on Kaiba's face; it was beautiful and new, making him wish it was under better circumstances. "Shut up," he muttered, his pride feeling completely and utterly humiliated.

Running his thumb over Yami's full lips, Kaiba's expression calmed itself to the faintest trace of a smile as he turned serious, trying to salvage the situation. "It's okay," Kaiba reassured him in a softer tone, not wanting to lose out on future possibilities once Yami got the hang of it because he was too much of an ass when it originally happened.

"No, it's not!" Yami protested with a fierce glare, wishing he could cross his arms defensively over his chest.

"If it's any consolation, you did better than my first time," Kaiba said as he caressed Yami's cheek.

"You're just saying that," Yami accused him, but his tone was losing its edge.

Shaking his head, Kaiba's expression was almost rueful as he said, "I wish that was true."

"And how could it possibly have been worse?" Yami demanded in his emotional moment of weakness, although he immediately regretted saying it as soon as the words were said. Knowing that Gozaburo was the orchestrator behind whatever Kaiba had gone through, Yami could only imagine what sort of hellish experiences Kaiba's first times had been comprised of throughout his education.

"In about six different ways," Kaiba replied, mentally rolling his eyes at what had transpired all those years ago.

"Do I want to know?" Yami hesitantly asked, his concern for Kaiba finally allowing some of his embarrassment to subside temporarily.

It was too late to take back the words, so Kaiba simply settled for saying, "No, probably not," since he doubted Yami would handle it well. "Besides, none of that matters now."

"I'm sorry," Yami apologized, averting his gaze from Kaiba's. He wasn't sure if he was apologizing for his own failure or for unintentionally bringing up Kaiba's past, but Yami still felt the guilt all the same.

"Don't," Kaiba said, his tone harsher than he meant it to be. "You have nothing to apologize for, damn it!"

"I guess I don't have to apologize to you for humiliating myself," Yami amended in a self-depreciating manner, the blush once again returning to his cheeks in full force.

Forcing Yami to look at him, Kaiba told him sincerely, "You didn't humiliate yourself," and immediately stopped the protests otherwise. "You just…put too much pressure on yourself to perform."

"I suppose if nothing else, it stroked your ego," Yami muttered, keenly aware of the difference in their sizes that did little to help the situation.

"Ego has nothing to do with this," Kaiba told him, actually meaning it for once. "I…appreciate—"

Yami interrupted him to say, "I didn't want you to appreciate it, I wanted you to _enjoy _it."

"And I did," Kaiba said, earning him an indignant snort from Yami.

"There's no way in hell you enjoyed what I just tried to do."

Sighing wearily as he resituated himself, Kaiba didn't want to explain himself, but he knew that it would be necessary to move on in more ways than one. It made him feel somewhat vulnerable, but Kaiba knew that there were certain things that Yami needed to hear said; it was unpleasant, but it was a fact, given the seriousness of what they were still continuing to pursue together. "Despite knowing what I've done in the past, you were still willing to do that for me," Kaiba finally managed to say, his gaze becoming a bit guarded out of habit. "Is it really so hard to believe I could enjoy it for that alone?"

The response was completely unexpected and Yami just stared up in shock at Kaiba, his mind slow to process what had just happened. His arms reacted first, embracing Kaiba closer to him as he managed to whisper, "Oh," next to the brunette's ear. It was a little overwhelming to hear, but it managed to move Yami in the way that Kaiba had intended.

"I say something like that and all you can manage is, 'Oh,' in response?" Kaiba joked, trying to find a way to get out of the moment that had drug on for far too long for his tastes.

Pressing a kiss to the side of Kaiba's throat, Yami just held him as he struggled to get his composure back. He hadn't really considered things from that angle and he wanted to reflect on it further when it was a more appropriate time; although his erection had waned in the intervening moments after the incident, his body was still hyper-aware of the closeness to Kaiba. "Seto," Yami started to say, but he didn't know what else to add. Anything else just seemed to inadequate in light of the revelation Kaiba had just shared and Yami was at a loss of what to do.

Deciding that enough time had been spent on the situation, Kaiba leaned over Yami and reached into the nightstand to grab the lube that was in it. "Besides, I can think of a few other things that I'd rather your mouth be doing right now," Kaiba purred as he handed over the lube to Yami, attempting to get his rival's mind refocused.

It took a moment for Yami to register what Kaiba had put in his hand and he stared incredulously at the brunette as he demanded, "_Seriously_? You had time to get lube, but not a couch?"

"Priorities," Kaiba replied with a perverse leer that made Yami shudder at the implications. "Besides, it takes longer to buy a couch, so I don't know why you're so surprised. Or fixated on the couch, come to think of it. Is there some fantasy of me bending you over one that I need to be aware of?"

"No," Yami shot back with a scathing glare that was weakened by the blush in his cheeks caused by the flash image of what Kaiba had just described.

"Sure," Kaiba scoffed, sounding like he believed anything but as he lay back flat against the bed once more. When Yami was slow to react, Kaiba spread his legs a little bit further apart in silent invitation as he ran his hand enticingly over his own erection. "Yami…"

Although the sight of Kaiba saying his name in such a way shorted out his brain, it successfully managed to refocus Yami's attention all the same. "Should I…?" Yami tried to ask, even as he thumbed open the bottle cap and started to pour some onto his fingers. Although he had experience penetrating himself with his fingers, he had never prepped Kaiba before; it was always already taken care of at the brothel and he had never topped outside of that.

Making a non-verbal noise of consent, Kaiba waited for Yami to make his move. Although he didn't need as rigorous of preparation as he tended to give Yami, Kaiba still knew it was better for him in the long run if he allowed it to happen to some extent. He could sense Yami stalling, but he wasn't made to wait for much longer as he felt timid fingers wet with lube seek out his entrance.

Even though they had done so much together, Yami felt strangely self-conscious about what he was about to do. It almost made him a little nervous, but he slid a finger inside of Kaiba as had been done to him so many times previously. He was surprised by the way it made Kaiba seemingly relax, even as he watched in fascination as his digit disappeared and reappeared as he slowly worked his rival open in preparation.

It was difficult for Kaiba not to growl instructions at Yami, but he let the teen do it at his own pace, even though he was positively aching for a more substantial feeling. He was distracted by the thought when he felt Yami shift positions and start to rain kisses along his torso while his fingers continued building a rhythm. The feeling was enough to make Kaiba start to grow impatient, although he was somewhat pacified by the addition of another finger inside of him.

Yami was unsure of how long he was supposed to stretch Kaiba, but he decided to continue doing so until he was told to move on to other things. It felt weird to be inside of Kaiba in such a way, feeling his heat becoming slick with lube, making Yami's cock harden at the thought of being buried to the hilt within him. He started kissing Kaiba's chest and moving downward in an attempt to distract himself from wanting to move on too quickly, but it did little to quell his desire. If anything, it only served to heighten his pleasure as he felt Kaiba's breathing quicken under his lips, felt his pulse in the most intimate way possible. It was a beautiful moment and Yami found himself lathing the area on Kaiba's hip that mirrored the location of the hickey he had received previously. He was overcome by a need to claim Kaiba in some way and he suckled on the spot, adding a third finger in at the same time, causing the brunette's hips to jerk at the dual sensations.

It thrilled Yami to know that he could affect Kaiba in such a way and he impishly committed to marring the pale expanse of flesh by sucking hard enough to leave a mark. Kaiba hissed in response, a slight growl to his voice as he said Yami's name in reprimand that only further served as arousal for the scarlet eyed teen. He murmured, "Seto," against the spot he wanted to see grow darker by the day, his own hips thrusting against the sheets in his need for something more, inspired as much by that as the way he had felt Kaiba's body clench around his fingers in response.

"Come on," Kaiba groaned, his patience starting to disappear at the prospect of moving on to better things.

Not needing to be told twice, Yami poured out more lube and started stroking his rigid member before casting the bottle aside. Only then did it occur to him, "Wait—condoms?"

"No, only you," Kaiba refused, knowing it was the last of his barriers. To be so completely open, with absolutely nothing left between them but themselves, he wanted it almost as much as it terrified him.

It made Yami hesitate briefly before he repositioned himself between Kaiba's legs, taking a steadying breath as he lined himself up with some amount of nervousness. When Kaiba raised his hips a little in silent encouragement, Yami pressed forward and stopped almost immediately as he felt the difference for the first time. "_Oh_," he breathed as he tensed up and stilled, watching Kaiba's similar reaction with interest.

Kaiba was once again surprised at the difference in sensations and he was practically clawing at the sheets in an attempt to restrain himself as Yami slowly slid deeper inside of him. _More_, was the singular thought echoing throughout his body, but he waited for Yami to recover first.

Even though they had barely gotten started, Yami was already panting heavily and shuddering from the sensations that were overwhelming his senses. He was drowning in Kaiba and Yami was completely lost when he felt those long legs embrace him and pull them that much closer together. Kissing Kaiba before he started moving, he broke off with a choked gasp when he felt the muscles contracting around him in an attempt to entice him to move.

It worked and Yami started a slow pace, focusing on the slick slid of skin and the sound of Kaiba's breathing as he built up a rhythm. He grasped Kaiba's hips for leverage, running his thumb over the already darkening mark he had left earlier and started to pick up speed as he surrendered himself completely to the experience. All conscious thought fled as he started to move faster, going deeper when Kaiba ordered it, working up to a harsher pace as he chased the sensations that were overwhelming him with pleasure.

Kaiba's back arched up from the bed as he writhed beneath Yami, growling encouragements as much as he dared. To be taken in such a way, it was unique and baffling to Kaiba that Yami could be a little rough even as he clearly worshipped the brunette at the same time. He didn't understand how he could feel so close to a person through such actions, but he found himself seeking out Yami with his arms, embracing his rival completely in every sense of the word. His mind, body, and heart were all becoming deeply bound with Yami; it wasn't as scary a prospect to Kaiba as it had once been.

Yami couldn't stop saying Kaiba's name, couldn't stop his hands from roaming along his body, or seeking out his cock in an attempt to give him further pleasure. The feeling of Kaiba clenching around him was almost enough to undo Yami, but he held on and didn't cum quite yet. He wanted the experience to last as long as possible; he just wasn't ready to give up being so entwined with Kaiba yet.

A slew of obscenities slipped past Kaiba's lips as Yami started to pump his member in earnest, causing his hips to jerk into the movement before slamming down onto the cock still inside of him. It was enough to draw Yami into orgasm, his pace faltering as he came with a loud cry of, "Seto," that moved Kaiba deeply. To feel Yami's release so intensely inside of him, it was enough to let Kaiba allow himself to follow suit shortly thereafter, the feeling a relief after the tension in his body all day from wanting to do nothing besides that.

Yami didn't pull out immediately, he instead rested against Kaiba, melting further when the arms around him hugged him closer. He listened to Kaiba regain control of his senses, even as he waited for his own to calm down from the intense release. He wished he could have lasted longer, but Yami was content with the moment as it was; there was no place for regrets between them anymore.

When Yami finally pulled out, a small groan of protest escaped from him before he curled up on Kaiba once more. He closed his eyes as Kaiba lightly trailed his fingers up Yami's back, gliding on the perspiration from their exertion. They remained in silence, the sound of fingertips on flesh the only sound that accompanied their heavy breathing in the fading afternoon light.

Eventually Yami's brain began working again, finally catching up with him, although it still felt a bit sluggish. He knew he was falling deeper and deeper into Kaiba, becoming irrevocably entangled in his very existence, and yet Yami couldn't quite quell the fear inside of him that he was still so close to losing the brunette, even more so than when he had been in Gozaburo's clutches.

Kaiba felt Yami tensing up and it made him curious enough to ask, "What?" It didn't make sense to him what had changed and Kaiba doubted if he would ever truly comprehend the quickflash shifting in Yami's emotions.

"They're going to take you away from me, aren't they?" Yami whispered as he tried to press even closer to Kaiba. He hadn't even known he felt such a fear until he verbalized it, but the sense of impending loss was almost suffocatingly real for Yami.

It was a baffling conclusion to Kaiba, who didn't understand what "they" Yami was referring to or why he was trembling with anything other than the aftermath of arousal. "What are you talking about?" Kaiba asked, surprised that he sounded more exhausted than annoyed.

"Are they going to make you live with his relatives or send you both back to the orphanage again?" Yami clarified, his voice cracking at the thought of the two brothers going back to such a place.

"First of all, his ex-wife would have nothing to do with either one of us, not even out of spite," Kaiba started to explain, his gaze softening slightly with understanding, "and the rest of his family is dead."

"Then…?" Yami tried to say, but his voice failed him at the thought he couldn't bear to say aloud.

"Why is it even a concern for you?" Kaiba asked instead, curious despite himself.

Burrowing against Kaiba's neck, Yami finally said, "Because the thought of losing you again…"

Running his fingers through Yami's hair in what he hope was a reassuring manner, Kaiba pointed out, "I own my own company and know people in the right places, Yami. I'm not letting them take me or Mokuba anywhere ever again." It was a grim benefit to his level of clientele, but Kaiba knew that he had more than one politician and bureaucrat that he could lean on to make their problems of guardianship go away.

Even if it turned out to be a lie, it was still reassuring to hear in the present. "Good," Yami murmured as he tried to let it calm him. He knew he was being ridiculous and it made him try to justify himself to Kaiba, "It's just…I've lost so much already and the thought of you…I just…"

Kaiba's first instinct would be to sneer and question what someone like Yami could have possibly lost, but he was subdued by the release of hormones that allowed him a clearer mindset. _His parents_, Kaiba realized with a start, _his homeland, language, friends, and eventually his grandfather_. It was a sobering realization, an angle of Yami's life that was normally disregarded and it made Kaiba wonder if that was part of why he had cried earlier in the classroom. Kaiba didn't know how that thought made him feel, but he felt a sudden pang of emotion that he didn't even know how to begin processing.

It finally drove Kaiba to comment, "I'm not going anywhere," as he kissed Yami's forehead in reassurance. Kaiba knew it wasn't a promise that he would always be able to keep, but he would do his best in the face of everything that life threw at them. Trying to find a way to lighten the mood, he playfully added, "Except for maybe the shower."

Despite the seriousness of Yami's concerns, he found himself chuckling at Kaiba's comment. "I think I could live with that," Yami agreed with a smile, forcing his body to try and move.

Hugging Yami back down to his chest, Kaiba wasn't quite ready to move away from the comfort of having his rival in his arms. Although his desire to get clean was already clamoring at him for the delay in bathing, his instincts were telling him to hold Yami tightly for the moment and he had no objections to it.

It made Yami feel safe, made him feel like he could believe in the strength of Kaiba's will alone to prevent the real world from encroaching on them with the harsh reality of existence. Closing his eyes and breathing in as deeply as he could, Yami blanked his mind and just indulged himself in the comfort of all that was Kaiba. It made him smile when he felt Kaiba kiss his forehead once more before nuzzling against his tri-colored hair with a sigh of contentment. They had each other and that was enough for now, closed off from the rest of the complicating world.

* * *

**A/N: **I'm probably more amused by the little interjection of realism than I should be, but I just love the idea of Yami not being an instant master of technique in such areas~.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_I'm not sure I'm okay with this," Yami muttered as he watched the surveillance footage of Jounouchi entering a room where a being in a skirt sauntered up to him with a cocky air that was conveyed even at such a digital distance. Kaiba's vaguely sadistic smirk wasn't doing anything to ally his concerns and Yami swatted his wandering hand away to focus on his friend._

Oh, these tangled webs we weave...

Next update goes up on **Sunday, July 11th** and I look forward to hearing from everyone! I know you are really eager to get more answers about what really happened in Macau, but we're working toward it.


	37. Chapter 37: Powerplay

**A/N:** I swear, it's like trying to make up for lost time with these two! Another **lemon** in this chapter, with bonus hints of a secondary one going on at the same time. Oh, and there's an** important update announcement** at the end of the chapter!

* * *

**Chapter 37: Powerplay**

Although Kaiba had reassured him, Yami still felt a great sense of trepidation as they approached a foreboding wooden door that affected him in ways he couldn't even begin to understand. He logically knew that it was impossible for Gozaburo to be waiting for them on the other side, but as the door opened, Yami expected to see the man turn in the oversized leather chair to face them with a vicious smile. It was a relief to see an empty room, but Yami still didn't let his guard down in the least.

"Will you relax?" Kaiba growled, annoyed with himself for picking up on Yami's anxiety. He was unaware that his own fears paralleled Yami's own, but the tension radiating off of his rival was enough to trigger the reaction within himself.

"Sorry," Yami apologized, feeling somewhat sheepish. If anyone should have been struggling, it should have been Kaiba, but he appeared to be fine.

"See, the right response would have been, 'Make me,' don't you agree?" Kaiba pointed out as he sat down in the leather chair that seemed so much larger without Gozaburo's broad frame filling it. It still smelled of his cologne and cigars, no matter how much leather treatment was used on the chair. Although it was somewhat distracting, Kaiba tried not to think about it; the scent of leather and Gozaburo tended to bring bad associations.

Walking over to Kaiba almost shyly, Yami stood beside him and shifted almost awkwardly on his feet. He didn't understand why he had been brought to the room and it was hard to shake the feeling of being in trouble; there was just something about the imposing, lingering impression of a former atmosphere of the room. Yami knew he was probably being ridiculous, but he still couldn't shake the suspicion that a lot of terrible things had happened in that room with the former owner.

Sensing Yami's distraction, Kaiba took hold of his hand and guided him to sit on the edge of the desk. "You never answered my question," Kaiba reminded him, causing Yami's eyes to return to focus on him, rather than surveying the room.

"Uhm, sure?" Yami hesitantly agreed, having somewhat forgotten the question already. He was distracted by the room and by thoughts of what was happening to Jounouchi in a room below them. "What's going to happen to Jounouchi-kun?"

"Far better than he deserves," Kaiba replied with a vicious grin that made Yami scowl.

"What does that even mean?" Yami demanded, sounding somewhat petulant.

"You'll see," Kaiba commented mysteriously, further infuriating Yami.

"How?"

Reaching under the desk and pushing a hidden button, the wall behind Kaiba separated to reveal a panel of surveillance footage of everything that was happening in the brothel at that very moment. It took a moment for Yami to process what he was seeing, but when he realized what he was witnessing, he gasped in horror before looking back down at Kaiba in shock. "What…?"

"It's for our protection," Kaiba explained, realizing his slip in referring to himself as one of them too late to take it back. He could only hope that Yami interpreted it as referring to the entire company, rather than one of the prostitutes. "And blackmail, should the need arise."

"That's how they knew about Jounouchi-kun that night," Yami realized, hating the thought that there was always somebody watching, but understanding the need for security all the same.

"Hn, not that I couldn't handle him myself," Kaiba arrogantly scoffed, knowing that he hadn't needed the interference of the bodyguards to deal with the mutt's pathetic excuse for an attack.

The sight of so much sex before his eyes made Yami blush and he could only be grateful that there was no sound to accompany it. Looking away, Yami said, "I've seen enough." It was overwhelming in a lot of ways—especially when he started to wonder if Gozaburo had ever spied on them through that very same method—but Yami forced himself not to dwell on the matter for the sake of his own sanity.

"I thought you were concerned about your friend," Kaiba sarcastically replied, as he manipulated the images to reveal Jounouchi's room just in time for him to enter.

Even though the image was black and white made grainy by the larger size as it grew into the center screen, it still made Yami intensely uncomfortable to witness what was about to happen from such a voyeuristic perspective. "I'm not watching him with someone else," Yami stated, creeped out by the concept. The picture quality wasn't good enough to make out specific details, but it was already more than he would ever be comfortable with seeing.

"Does it make you jealous?" Kaiba asked, standing up and taking advantage of Yami's splayed legs to press closer to him. "To think of him with someone else?"

"No," Yami defensively denied, trying to ignore the way Kaiba's voice so low to his ear made him feel, "I just don't think it's right to—"

Glancing over his shoulder at the screen to see what had caused Yami to interrupt himself, Kaiba smirked when he saw his two employees entering the room. "I even let him have his trainer," Kaiba teased, knowing that Mai was probably looking forward to it almost as much as the mutt.

Ignoring the crude terminology that Kaiba insisted on using, Yami found himself wondering out loud, "Why are there two of them?"

"To make sure he doesn't bolt," Kaiba answered with a laugh that sounded sexy to Yami, despite the cruel undertone hidden within it.

"And why would he run?" Yami asked, feeling a coil of dread forming in the pit of his stomach.

"Because only one of them is actually a woman," Kaiba whispered into Yami's ear before nipping playfully at it.

Inhaling sharply, Yami started to protest, but he was interrupted by Kaiba's insistent tongue that was eager to stop the running commentary. Although it took a small amount of effort, Yami pulled back in order to assess whether or not his friend was still okay. "I'm not sure I'm okay with this," Yami muttered as he watched the surveillance footage of Jounouchi being approached by a man with long hair in a skirt and tunic that sauntered up to him with a cocky air that was conveyed even at such a digital distance. Kaiba's vaguely sadistic smirk wasn't doing anything to ally his concerns and Yami swatted his wandering hand away to focus on his friend.

"Trust me, he'll enjoy it," Kaiba promised, having brought the man back with him despite him being one of Gozaburo's finds. Even though Kaiba was loathe to admit it, Gozaburo had good business sense and a talent for finding new employees even in the strangest of places; it would be a waste to let one such as that get away. "And look at it this way, now he'll quit being such an ass when it comes to us…"

The question of how Kaiba would know was right on the tip of Yami's tongue, but he knew better than to say it out loud; he doubted that he would like the answer anyway. Some things were just better left unsaid, after all. "When he finds out that's a man," Yami commented as he saw the man drop to his knees in front of Jounouchi while Mai kissed him in greeting, "you know he'll want to kill you, right?"

"Not if he does his job properly," Kaiba pointed out, kissing his way along Yami's neck as he worked his hands under his shirt to find tan skin.

"I can't believe I'm actually letting you do this to him," Yami groaned as he tilted his head back out of habit to give Kaiba better access.

"Like you have any say in the matter?" Kaiba pointed out with a dark chuckle. "Besides, I let him have his preferred woman to balance it out, so what's his complaint?"

"That he's getting sucked off by a guy?" Yami retorted, his cheeks flushing in embarrassment as he accidentally caught sight of Mai stripping Jounouchi out of his shirt while the man took care of his pants. He didn't want to watch, but he was afraid of not knowing what was happening when the monitor was turned off finally.

"Who better than a man who knows what feels best?" Kaiba countered, running his hand over Yami's member that was still trapped in his pants. "Who else knows exactly what to do to make you come undone?"

The deep timber of that sensual tone of voice so close to his ear had Yami shivering as he instinctively grasped onto Kaiba's bicep as if to ground himself. "Stop," Yami whimpered, feeling himself start to get hot and feeling horrible about it while knowing his friend was in such a situation.

"Shall I show you?" Kaiba offered as he slipped his free hand under the desk and killed the screens. Ignoring Yami's sound of protest, Kaiba kissed him deeply before stripping him out of his shirt.

"Seto," Yami breathlessly protested, but it was becoming increasingly hard to focus on the complaints when Kaiba stopped just long enough to remove his own shirt before resuming his kisses.

"Did he look like he was complaining?" Kaiba pointed out as he started to remove the rest of Yami's clothes.

"No," Yami growled, although whether it was an answer to Kaiba's question or a protest to his actions was somewhat unclear. He was getting distracted by the sight of the small hickey he had left the day before and it stirred Yami's desire; he suddenly understood Kaiba's reaction and he could only shake his head over it.

Assuming it to be the former, Kaiba coaxed the pants off of his rival, taking a moment to appreciate the view of Yami on his desk. It sent a dark thrill through him to know he was about to fuck his lover on Gozaburo's old desk, made that twisted part of his soul purr in victory over his dead guardian. "Trust me, that boy was protesting far too much for someone who is supposedly not interested," Kaiba commented, having no doubt that Jounouchi wasn't as opposed as he claimed to be. There was a little too much protesting, a little too much blushing, a little too much shuddering whenever he came too close for Kaiba to think otherwise.

"Still," Yami continued to protest, knowing that there were other ways for Jounouchi to come to terms with that.

Taking off his own pants and kicking off his socks and shoes as he reached into the drawer for some lube and a condom, Kaiba laid Yami back with a wandering touch that guided him down to the desk. As he began prepping Yami with the lube, slowly spreading him with his fingers, Kaiba murmured, "I don't want to talk about the mutt when I have you like this."

Yami's sole consolation was knowing that if Jounouchi figured it out, he could defend himself pretty well, even though he might get in trouble for becoming physically aggressive. "If he punches the guy, you can't blame Jounouchi-kun," Yami finally said as way of consent, wondering if that made him a terrible friend.

"Fine," Kaiba agreed, anything to get Yami to stop saying the mutt's name while they were in such a position. Deciding it meant Yami still had too much awareness, Kaiba set out to demolish his composure, kissing him deeply as his fingers stroked him with purpose.

It was a sufficient distraction and Yami started writhing slightly, his body arching under the attention even as it craved more. The plea for, "More," escaped him in a needy groan that he could scarcely believe came from him, but it still wasn't enough. He should have hated how it obliterated his worries over his friend, his anxiety over the room itself, the world in general, but Yami still craved more, still wanted to drown deeper in Kaiba.

Kaiba wasted no time in burying himself inside of Yami, surprised by how he missed the warmth of intimacy, of what it felt like to be denied by such a flimsy barrier between them. It was more a consideration for ease of clean up rather than habit of house rules, but practicality won out over desire and he started to move, wanting to slide even deeper into Yami.

Pulling him forward slightly, Kaiba began an easy rhythm, feeling powerful at the sight of Yami sprawled on the very symbol of Gozaburo's authority. It was all his now and it was a victory worthy of him, Kaiba decided as he began to pick up the pace. He wanted to make Yami moan louder, make him gasp harder, make him unravel completely beneath him until the only word he remembered was, "Seto." It burned within him, almost painful as it forced him to chase the sensation.

Yami's hands scrambled for purchase on the desk's edge, anything to ground him as he continued moving under Kaiba's intense pleasure. Everything became motion and sound, pleasure and sensation, nothing into everything as he existed in the moment. His hands knocked over something solid that thudded heavily onto the floor, but his apology was interrupted by a punishing kiss and a whispered, "Turn over."

Although he wanted to protest and actually did so when Kaiba pulled out, Yami didn't have it in him to resist as hands guided him onto his stomach, painfully aware of being so fully exposed. He flinched when Kaiba's hands caressed his ass and moved down to tease his perineum and balls, skillfully manipulating them before the hand disappeared and all was lost once more.

Yami cried out as Kaiba hit deeper inside of him than before, his knees threatening to buckle when the angle changed and made him shudder with a gasp. He clawed at the edge of the desk once again, needing to ground himself as Kaiba growled his name next to his ear, making him whimper as the hand that wasn't holding him in place began stroking his cock. Everything was just a blur of desire, thrusting forward, thrusting back, everything revolving around the sensations that only Kaiba could give him. He was too far gone to be aware of just how much control Kaiba had over him in the situation, but Yami didn't care as long as it never stopped. He was so close, clutching the edge of the desk as he neared his own peak, a muffled warning groaned against the leather desk pad that was between him and the cold surface of the wooden desk.

That quickly turned into a loud swear when he felt Kaiba pull out of him once again, making him snap, "Make up your damn mind!"

Chuckling darkly and sending a shudder through Yami that made Kaiba miss feeling the aftereffect rippling through to him, he purred, "There's so many different ways to have you, though…"

"Pick one," Yami growled as he turned around, his red eyes blazing with disapproval.

The defiance that shown so brightly in those scarlet eyes made Kaiba's member twitch even as his breath hitched while he sat down in the chair once more. His hands were reaching out to pull Yami onto his lap, holding him closer as he murmured, "As if I could ever pick just one."

Yami gasped, "Seto," as he was penetrated once more, the angle forcing him forward to hide his face against Kaiba's shoulder as he struggled to gain control over himself. It would be so easy to read a deeper meaning into Kaiba's words, but Yami restrained his foolish heart from doing so. "You shouldn't say things like that…"

"Why not?" Kaiba questioned, the words formed on Yami's neck as a verbal kiss that made him shudder.

"Because it makes me think things that you don't mean," Yami groaned as he tested the new position and resituated himself as best he could in the limited space, wrapping his arms around Kaiba's neck for balance.

Cupping Yami's face and caressing the warm flush, Kaiba asked, "Who says I don't mean them?"

Before Yami could fully comprehend the implication of what had been said, Kaiba was once again kissing him harshly and thrusting up with equal force, his tongue mimicking the actions of his member. It made Yami cry out as he tilted his head back, riding Kaiba hard as he neared his climax. He wanted to ask what Kaiba had really meant, but the experience was making it impossible to think, let alone form a coherent sentence out loud.

Yami almost came undone when Kaiba started stroking his cock in time with their movements, his pace becoming erratic as the passion made him falter. Kaiba was still relentless, working every angle of Yami until he came with a gasp, marking that pale expanse with his release. He had missed the hickey he had left, but the sight would have made him cum again if he had been capable.

Kaiba came shortly afterward with a few more thrusts to bring him over the edge, feeling deeply satisfied with their coupling and the location that amplified it for him. Even though the scent of Gozaburo lingered heavily in the air for him, Kaiba just had to lean forward a little and Yami was there to help take it all away.

They remained as they were, Yami resting bonelessly against Kaiba and murmuring softly in the aftermath of his release. He was completely spent and wanted nothing more than to curl up in a comfortable bed and sleep away the rest of the afternoon until they had energy for another round. "Don't suppose there's a button you hit and a bed pops out?" Yami mumbled against Kaiba's shoulder, causing the brunette to laugh.

"There's one in the back," Kaiba accidentally commented, but he had no intention of ever entering that room again unless it was to burn everything inside of it and replace it. "Downstairs is better, though."

Yami started to comment on the matter until he thought better of it; he had felt the tremble of tension in Kaiba and he didn't want to push an unimportant issue that seemed to be tied to a larger problem. "Mm," was Yami's only comment as he burrowed deeper into Kaiba's hold.

Kissing Yami's temple and holding him tighter, he took a deep steadying breath and immersed himself in the calmness of everything that was Yami. Even without Gozaburo around, it was still a dangerous situation to be in, but Kaiba wasn't going to leave for anything; he had come too far to give it all up now.

"Are you ever going to answer my question?" Yami mumbled in his exhaustion, opening his eyes even though he couldn't see anything beyond damp wisps of brunette locks.

"I don't really think I need to," Kaiba replied as he rested his head against Yami's and closed his eyes, the answer betraying more than he expected, but not necessarily more than he meant.

* * *

**A/N: ** This was surprisingly romantic, even if it _was_ a bit creepy in the process…

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Yami's initial apology disappeared into a startled noise as he instinctively took a step back, his eyes wide in disbelief and a little bit of fear. His mind was racing almost as fast as his heart, but nothing could have prepared him for the shock of seeing the smirking man in front of him._

Whoever could it be? *wicked grin*

Okay, so on to the **important news**! As some of you may or may not know, this July 14th marks the three year anniversary of my being a member on this site and writing fanfics. Yeah, that number shocks me, too. I'm just really grateful for all of your support over these past three years, because without your reviews and well wishes, I would not be able to keep up the weekly posting schedule and high enthusiasm amongst my insane schedule otherwise. It's weird to realize that when I first started out, I was amazed if I got a more than six reviews on a chapter and here I am, marveling at the fact this story alone is just shy of the 600 mark! How much has changed in three years~.

So as a sort of thank you to my lovely and loyal readers, I thought it would be appropriate to post an **Entangled oneshot**, the series that started it all, to mark the occasion. As some of you saw, I actually posted an update this past week on my drabble collection, **Glimpses**, to get me back into the Entangled mindset. So I will be posting **Entangled Series, Story 10** on **Wednesday, July 14th**. It's not quite finished yet, nor does it have a title, but I'm determined to get something posted on that day! Let's make it a celebration of how far we have come and our boys as well!

And proving just how ambitious I'm being, I will still be posting the next chapter of **Forbidden** on **Sunday, July 18th**. Four updates in two weeks? What's this world coming to?

It's the best thank you I can give you, my lovely readers, who have supported me through all of these years. Here's to many more years and lots of fantastic stories! I look forward to sharing it all and more with you. Much love and adoration, as always.


	38. Chapter 38: Encounters

**Chapter 38: Encounters**

It had taken some coaxing, but Yami finally was ready to go home, even if he wasn't quite ready to leave. There still felt like there was so much left to be said and yet in a weird way, he felt like he had more answers than when he went in, even if it meant he only had more questions in the end.

Walking out of Kaiba's office—and feeling a bit heady at the thought that it belonged to him and not Gozaburo—Yami was startled when he almost walked into who was waiting on the other side, their hand poised to knock on the door. Yami's initial apology disappeared into a startled noise as he instinctively took a step back, his eyes wide in disbelief. His mind was racing almost as fast as his heart, but nothing could have prepared him for the shock of seeing the smirking man in front of him.

When he had left Egypt for the final time, Yami had never thought he would have to lay eyes on Bakura again. Their complicated relationship was one reason amongst many that Yami was glad he had left his homeland, even if he would have preferred it under any other circumstance than his parents passing. To see him again so suddenly without warning was jarring, but there wasn't time to think about it because Bakura was taking another step closer to narrow the distance between them as he tutted, "Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

"_Bakura_," Yami growled, his hand tightening on the door knob for fear that he would either betray his emotions by showing the shaking of his hands or the pummeling of his fist. It didn't matter that the teen had gotten a little bit taller or that his hair had grown out further; there was no way Yami would ever forget him or his trademark scent that immediately made him think of long, hot afternoons in Egypt after school.

"Oh, how I've missed the sound of my name on your lips, Yami," Bakura hummed as he reached out to brush his fingers against Yami's cheek.

"Don't you _dare_ touch me," Yami hissed, jerking away once again and hating himself for the flush that rose to color his face at the innuendo. He was still in disbelief that this was actually happening, let alone where it was occurring.

The disturbance had Kaiba on his feet and walking around his desk toward the two feuding teens, his gaze flicking between the two as he tried to assess the situation. He didn't understand why Yami was glaring so hatefully at the person in front of him or why he was almost vibrating with constrained emotions that Kaiba wanted an immediate explanation for, no excuses accepted. There was no way for Yami to know his employee's real name and Kaiba suddenly had a very bad feeling about the situation—all the more so because Bakura knew who Yami was.

Neither teen paid Kaiba any attention as he drew near; they were too busy focusing on each other, the tense moment drawing out even longer. "What the hell are you doing here?" Yami finally asked, feeling almost sick over the whole thing and yet still needing answers about his mysterious appearance.

"Earning a paycheck," Bakura glibly commented, gesturing at his costume for emphasis. He was dressed in a loose fitting ivory overshirt and a red skirt, neither of which covered more than what was socially acceptable; there was still too much bronze skin on display for Yami's comfort. Yami didn't understand what Bakura was supposed to be, but he wasn't that interested in finding out any details—he had seen enough as it was.

"What, Marik wasn't enough for you?" Yami retorted, sounding more bitter than he had intended. It was a hurt that ran deeper than Yami cared to admit, but he wasn't surprised in that regard at how Bakura was attempting to slake his insatiable lust by working in a brothel. "Or did he go back to Rishid again?"

Shrugging at Yami's question, Bakura didn't feel the need to elaborate on his former lover's psychotic break in the form of a split personality disorder and his subsequent institutionalization enforced by Marik's on again off again lover, Rishid, and by the teen's sister, Isis. It was a victory that Bakura didn't feel like giving Yami, so he airily said, "Oh, you know how it goes," and left it at that.

While Yami may have understood what Bakura was referring to, Kaiba was at a complete loss over the developments that were unfurling before his eyes and it was infuriating him. He had no idea who Marik or Rishid were, but he was damn well going to find out later; for now, he had his priorities to focus on first. Shutting the door to his office so that none of their personal business would be further privy to potentially prying eyes, Kaiba noticed how Yami immediately took up a more defensive position by crossing his arms over his chest with an angry tilt of his chin to convey his attitude. "And how exactly _does_ it go?" Kaiba questioned, too busy observing Bakura's reaction to spare another glance at Yami's, even though he wanted nothing more than to touch him and reassure him that everything would be fine.

Smirking wickedly and drawing himself up to his full height, Bakura's eyes drifted over to Kaiba and languidly looked him over from head to toe before licking his lips and returning his gaze to a barely controlled furious cerulean. "It's just one of those situations," Bakura dismissively replied, not interested in expounding any further on it with his employer.

"You're about to find yourself in a situation," Kaiba threatened, bristling at Bakura's demeanor.

"One that I have no objections to," Bakura purred with a perverse rumble that made Kaiba want to roll his eyes at that blatancy.

"You say that now," Kaiba warned, his patience starting to come to an end.

"Oooh, are you going to _punish_ me again?" Bakura asked, sounding far too excited by the possibility for either Kaiba or Yami's tastes. It also sent off warning bells for Yami, who suddenly burned with a need to know what Bakura meant by "again" and hoped desperately that it wasn't anything close to the twisted image his mind was trying to supply him with of the two teens together.

Narrowing his eyes dangerously at Bakura, Kaiba coolly said, "I wouldn't recommend finding out," mostly because he didn't trust himself to hold back if he found out what it was about the teen that was causing Yami to react so poorly.

"I bet it's kinky," Bakura predicted with a flirtatious wink that caused Yami to make a small growl of annoyance that immediately drew the white haired teen's attention back to him. "Still uptight about that, eh?"

"None of your damn business!" Yami shot back, the heat in his cheeks deepening from a blush to a full out flush of rage. It was one thing to have to deal with Bakura after almost two years of not seeing him, but it was quite another to see him trying to flirt so openly with Kaiba; it just frayed the last of his nerves.

"So that's a yes, then," Bakura deduced, his gaze softening with a fondness that immediately had Kaiba tensing up on full guard. He knew that look and didn't like the implications one bit.

"Enough of this," Kaiba decided, realizing they were getting nowhere with their fragmented conversations. "What's going on?"

"You would know," Bakura dryly stated, giving Kaiba a knowing look before his eyes returned to rake over Yami's form in a rude leer. "After all, he's my reward."

Yami's protest was once again lost when unwanted hands reached for him, pulling him closer, causing him to bump against the person he wanted nothing more than to be oceans apart from once more. "Never!" Yami growled as he shoved away, willing himself not to lose control in front of Kaiba. "I don't know why you're here or what you think you're doing, but—"

"Explain yourself," Kaiba demanded, forcing himself to keep his eyes on his employee. It wouldn't do to betray his interests in Yami to the man that he still knew so little about—especially since his instincts were telling him that things were about to go from bad to worse very fast.

"Aww, did Daddy forget to fill you in?" Bakura mockingly questioned, using the opportunity to once again move closer to Yami. "I agreed under a certain set of conditions to come here. They were most…_explicit_."

That bad feelings mutated into cold dread when Kaiba realized that he was quite possibly staring at Gozaburo's final trump card. "Meaning?" Kaiba asked through gritted teeth, wanting to reach out for Yami and pull him to safety, to put himself between his lover and the advancing teen that was too interested in what didn't belong to him. The dual meaning of Bakura's words were a warning to Kaiba that he didn't like in the least, but he had to calm himself before jumping to any conclusions; that wouldn't do him any good either.

Ignoring Kaiba, Bakura explained to Yami, "You were to return to my side," as he once again forcibly pulled him closer. When Yami tried to yank free, Bakura held him that much closer, grinning victoriously when he felt uncertain fingers twitch on his bare chest as the scarlet eyed teen continued trying to escape. "After all, I've been so lonely without my favorite Pharaoh to keep me company."

"I doubt it and don't call me that," Yami snapped, reacting on an almost volatile level as he struggled for release. Hearing the old pet name was enough to get him free, because he couldn't stand to hear it said, let alone so close to his ears.

Something inside of Kaiba burned darkly at what he was witnessing, the implications of Yami's unknown past suddenly becoming a major point of contention for him. "You will refrain from further contact," Kaiba ordered Bakura, finally finding a way to get between them physically without arousing too much suspicion from his employee.

"Saving him all for yourself?" Bakura teased, noticing far more about the exchange than Kaiba realized. The unchanging stoic expression that was laced with a hint of anger made Bakura hum with interest as the situation suddenly became far more fascinating to him. "That's it, isn't it? Ha, as if somebody like _him_ would be interested in someone like _you_!"

"What are you implying?" Kaiba demanded, his voice taking on a threatening tone. He didn't know what Bakura was insinuating or why he thought he knew about such things, but it was pushing Kaiba dangerously close to action. After all, he didn't need the guy around to get answers.

"If he knew everything, he'd never let you be this close to him again," Bakura airily replied, although his grin was practically predatory as he looked down at Yami. "Isn't that right, Pharaoh?"

With a vicious growl, Yami started to launch himself at Bakura, but was restrained at the last moment by Kaiba. "Let me go, damn it!" Yami yelled at Kaiba, yanking against the hold and unable to break free. It only made him fight that much harder, anything to try and escape in order to make Bakura stop saying such horrible things.

Taking advantage of the fact that both teens had their hands occupied, Bakura closed the distance between them and reached out to stroke Yami's cheek, half expecting him to try and nip at him for daring to do so. "_I bet he tells you such pretty lies_," Bakura murmured in Arabic as he caressed Yami's cheek, making the teen flinch away.

"_What would you know about it?_" Yami spat back in turn, unaware of how the switch in languages was making the situation worse on Kaiba.

"_Because he's just like me_," Bakura answered with a cruel laugh that set Yami's nerves on edge. "_Maybe even worse, who knows?_"

When it looked like Bakura was going to try and steal a kiss, Kaiba instinctively shielded Yami from him with his own body. "Get out of my sight," Kaiba commanded, needing the white haired teen gone before he did something regrettable.

"You can't escape the fact that you and I are the same," Bakura told Kaiba with a knowing look.

"We are _nothing_ alike," Kaiba snapped, unaware of how his grip on Yami tightened once more.

"You keep telling yourself that," Bakura said with a cackle as he turned to walk away with a casual wave. "I'll be seeing you, Yami."

The shutting of the door left an ominous silence that was just waiting to explode.

* * *

**A/N:** So who saw that coming? *wicked grin*

It seems like I just can't keep Bakura away from my stuff or even a hint of ancient Egypt from this. Believe it or not, this has been planned for awhile. See references in Chapter 6 and Chapter 9 (although that is addressed more in Chapter 39).

I also liked the idea that Bakura and Yami could speak in a language Kaiba couldn't; it's fun changing up tropes once in awhile.

Uh yeah, so in summation: please don't kill me?

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_"Do you really think you can handle knowing what happened that night?" Kaiba questioned in a sad voice as he reached out and brushed his fingers against Yami's cheek. "Would you ever let me touch you again if you knew everything I've done?"_

Confrontation time! It's about time Kaiba started fessing up some answers and we'll get a few about Yami's past, too.

Answers are forthcoming in next week's chapter that will be posted on **Sunday, July 25th**. And for those of you that missed it, don't forget to check out the **Entangled** update I posted on Wednesday, **Gifting**. It's just my way of saying, "Thanks," for the last three years of support and many more to come! Although I feel like I need a special Forbidden related something to thank you guys for over 600 reviews on this fic alone! Maybe there's hopes for a sequel yet. *grin*


	39. Chapter 39: Confrontations

**Chapter 39: Confrontations**

There was a tense silence between them as Yami tried to control his anger and hurt, not wanting to lash out at Kaiba. "Why is he here?" Yami asked in a measures tone, struggling to keep his composure and almost failing.

"Gozaburo hired him," Kaiba told him, seriously regretting not looking into the matter further once he took over the brothel. "Who is he to you?"

Still reeling over everything that had just taken place, it threw him off balance enough to ask, "What difference does it make to you?"

It wasn't the answer that Kaiba had been expecting and he furrowed his eyebrows slightly as he replied, "I want to know."

The laugh that escaped past Yami's lips was bitter and starling to them both as the scarlet eyed teen demanded, "What, so I'm just supposed to tell you everything when you tell me nothing?"

"What are you talking about?" Kaiba asked, a dark tone creeping into his voice over the rebellion. This was not how the conversation was supposed to go; he wanted answers and Kaiba didn't feel like cutting through layers of bullshit to get to them.

"You don't tell me anything," Yami explained, the hurt once again making itself known. Even though Yami logically understood that it was probably for his own good, he still wanted to know. "I mean, I found out about Tanizaki from Gozaburo and a newspaper, damn it!"

"So?" Kaiba asked, bristling at the implication and missing the point in the process. "You didn't need to know about him."

Laughing incredulously, Yami shot back, "Oh, and you need to know about Bakura?"

"He's my employee," Kaiba replied, realizing too late that it was the wrong answer.

"Is that the only reason?" Yami hissed, his rage twisting painfully inside of him.

Holding back a sigh, Kaiba said, "That's not what I meant and you know it."

"No, I don't!"

"Why are you being this way?" Kaiba questioned as he reached out to pull Yami intro an embrace. It was surprisingly painful when Yami stepped out of the way to evade his touch, but Kaiba ignored his reaction to the slight.

"Why would you let him be with Jounouchi-kun?" Yami countered, refusing to answer any questions until he got some answers of his own. "Out of everyone here, why did you pick _him_?"

"Because he's new," Kaiba explained, hoping that replying would earn him a little cooperation for his efforts. "If he left because of the way the mutt treated him, it's not a loss to me. Plus, I trust Mai's opinion and was having her evaluate his performance from a female perspective."

It took a moment for the words to filter through his mind, but it made Yami realize, "From a _female_ perspective? Does that mean you've fucked him?"

The hysterical note in Yami's voice and the panicked look in his eyes troubled Kaiba deeply and he didn't know how to handle the situation. He wasn't above lying, but he was reluctant to do so blatantly with Yami; vague replies were a different matter entirely since they served as clouded truths. Stalling for time , Kaiba tried an alternative route, "What difference does it make if I did?"

Not letting up, Yami continued throwing questions at Kaiba, "Or did he fuck you?"

Narrowing his eyes at Yami in displeasure, Kaiba watched as the teen started pacing back in forth in his upset. "Answer me and I'll tell you," Kaiba tried bartering, completely on edge by dealing with Yami in such a temperamental state.

"No, it doesn't fucking work like that!" Yami yelled at him, stopping his pacing long enough to glare at Kaiba. "You keep shutting me out and—"

"—and it's for your own protection," Kaiba interrupted, knowing it was as much for Yami's as his own.

"_Protection_," Yami sneered, the single word dripping with disgust. Even though he knew it was probably the trutth, he was too worked up to listen to reason.

"Yes," Kaiba confirmed as he closed the distance between them in an attempt to stop Yami's wild pacing.

The reply made Yami scoff, "More like covering your own ass."

Irritated by the brush off, Kaiba found himself lashing out in the cruelest way possible as he towered over Yami and demanded, "Is that what you call hiding the fact that I was handcuffed to a dead man while his murderer fucked me to remind me of just how powerful he was?"

The fight completely went out of Yami as he stared up at Kaiba with wide eyes, his breath caught in his throat as the knowledge slapped the reality into him. There were no words to articulate his reaction to the horror that was far worse than anything he had ever imagined and Yami couldn't even bring himself to whimper so much as Kaiba's name; he was too stunned to react at all. He didn't know whether to cry, or throw up, or find a way to bring Gozaburo to life just so he could kill him all over again.

"Do you really think you can handle knowing what happened that night?" Kaiba questioned in a sad voice as he reached out and brushed his fingers against Yami's cheek, wondering if it would be the last time he'd be allowed to do so. "Would you ever let me touch you again if you knew everything I've done?"

Even though Kaiba was trying to hide his pain behind carefully guarded eyes, Yami could see the fear in those brilliant blue eyes and it broke his heart. Throwing himself at Kaiba in a tight hug, Yami started to sob as it all caught up to him, "Seto, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to—I didn't know—and I, I'm...oh, Seto—_please_—"

Hesitantly wrapping his arms around his near-hysterical lover, Kaiba whispered against Yami's neck, "I just want to protect you."

Even though Yami heard Kaiba, he was still too deep in shock to respond with anything other than fragmented apologies, "I'm sorry, I didn't know and—"

"That was kind of the point," Kaiba sarcastically interrupted, but he sounded more exhausted than weary as he tried not to remember that night. Why had he said that?

They held each other for some time until Yami calmed himself and Kaiba became more clearheaded about the issue, enough to feel remorseful about his outburst. Any further apologies were shushed into silence, so Yami just allowed himself to hold Kaiba and feel safe with him. He understood that Kaiba had suffered through terrible things—far worse than even his own imagination had provided for him—and yet Yami knew that it still probably wasn't anywhere close to his comprehension of terrible things. If Kaiba was willing to tell him that much, then how much worse were unspeakable horrors were left lurking in the unknown?

It put everything into perspective for Yami and he knew that on the scale of horrible things, Bakura ranked pretty low on that list in comparison. Even though it wouldn't make up for what he had provoked in Kaiba, he found himself suddenly volunteered the information that caused all the problems, "He's my ex."

"Your ex-boyfriend?" Kaiba questioned as he raised his eyebrows in shock. Suddenly having confirmation of how Yami had certain skills made sense, but the thought of it being with Bakura was disturbing to him on several levels.

Making a miserable sound of confirmation, Yami explained, "His dad worked with my parents on a dig, which is why he calls me Pharaoh."

"And not because you act like stuck up royalty whenever you get indignant?" Kaiba teased, trying to lighten the mood.

"That may have had something to do with it, too," Yami admitted with the slightest trace of a smirk that he hid against Kaiba's chest. It felt too easy to move on, but Yami knew that Kaiba needed it just as much as he did, to move past the unspeakable things that had happened in the past.

Kaiba was suddenly reminded of his last conversation with Gozaburo, when he threatened, "Do you really think you can escape from me? Even if I'm dead, you'll never be rid of me, boy." It suddenly clicked in his mind what Gozaburo had done and he swore softly as he closed his eyes against it.

"What?"

"He investigated all of you when you started coming here," Kaiba told Yami, feeling him stiffen in the hold at the information. "He must have found out about Bakura and hired him to use against you when we got back." The plan was so simplistic that Kaiba almost couldn't forgive himself for not seeing it sooner. It made perfect sense to him that Gozaburo would bring Bakura back with them and find a way to use the white haired teen against Yami. He suspected that Gozaburo would have ordered them to perform in the Viewing Room while Yami watched on in horror, Kaiba completely unaware of what was being done to his rival behind the two way glass.

Feeling sick to his stomach, Yami knew that was exactly the kind of thing Gozaburo would try to do. "I fucking hate him," Yami sighed. "Death is too good for that bastard."

"Yeah," Kaiba agreed, holding back a sigh.

"But why did you bring him back with you?" Yami asked in a hesitant voice, needing to know and yet not wanting to know all at the same time.

"Because he was skilled and I knew I'd need some new hires after firing as many people as I had to," Kaiba replied, wanting to drop the issue as quickly as possible and yet still feeling obligated to offer Yami that much information.

Yami's heart sunk when he heard Kaiba comment on Bakura's talent, causing him to meekly ask, "So does that mean...that you actually…with him…?"

"I'm sorry," Kaiba offered by way of answer, waiting for Yami to pull away from him in disgust.

It hurt to hear, but Yami saw it as Gozaburo's final act of cruelty rather than an act of betrayal by Kaiba. He knew that Kaiba wouldn't have been able to refuse any order by Gozaburo and it made perfect sense to him why the older man would do that to them, trying to drive Yami away from the brunette. "I...understand," Yami finally managed to say, trying not to feel the hurt and saying another curse toward the dead man who had caused so much harm in both life and death.

"If I had known, I never would have let him do that with Jounouchi," Kaiba told Yami, the closest thing to an apology he would ever offer toward the mutt.

The lack of derogatory address let Yami know just how terrible Kaiba felt and he shyly kissed the underside of the taller teen's chin in reassurance. "I know," Yami said with a small trace of a smile. "You're not that kind of person."

"Not when it comes to you," Kaiba replied, knowing all too well what kind of ruthless he could be when it came to other people. It was just further proof of Gozaburo's legacy, more evidence that he had been made into his image in a lot of respects.

"Are you going to fire him?"

"Wouldn't you rather me punish him first before having him permanently deported?" Kaiba asked, a slight sadistic gleam in his eyes. Part of him really did want to punish Bakura, both for his transgressions and Gozaburo's; it would be deeply satisfying in a way that was probably disturbing.

Not wanting to know how Kaiba was capable of ensuring the latter result, Yami shrugged and said, "I don't think that's really necessary," since he'd rather just be rid of Bakura forever.

"Depends on how badly he hurt you," Kaiba retorted.

Shrugging as he rested his head against Kaiba's chest once more, Yami explained, "He just wanted to take more from me than I was comfortable giving at the time. And when I refused him, he cheated on me with a guy named Marik that we went to school with."

"And Rishid?"

"He was Marik's boyfriend at the time."

Yami's objections to him being with so many people at the brothel made sense to Kaiba on a whole new level now and it made him feel a pang of remorse for unknowingly reminding him of his past hurt of being cheated on by Bakura. "You know I'll never betray you with another now that I'm free of that bastard," Kaiba reminded Yami, the words still feeling surreal to him in a way that he wondered if it would ever stop.

Looking up with a small smile, Yami agreed, "Yeah," and shyly raised himself up on tiptoes to kiss Kaiba. The show of initiative soothed away some of Kaiba's worries of rejection and he indulged himself in the moment.

"Will you come with me?" Kaiba asked on a whim when they parted, not ready to let Yami go quite yet.

"Anywhere," Yami told him with a smile, allowing his fingers to interlace with Kaiba's as he led the way out of his office.

"Now who's the one saying misleading things?" Kaiba teased as they went over to the elevator and he pressed the down button.

"Who said it was misleading?" Yami retorted with a daring kiss to hide his embarrassment. He wondered if he'd ever be able to say such things without having that reaction.

* * *

**A/N:** I feel really wrong for having this chapter end on a semi-sweet note, given all the revelations. Before anyone freaks out, no, Yami and Bakura never had sex. Bakura pushed for it, but Yami refused him, which is why Bakura went elsewhere for his needs. It was a subtle reference to his past as a thief in the Ancient Egypt Arc. Well, that and having Ryou's dad working as an archeologist, which gets a brief mention in the anime.

Gozaburo investigating Yami, Jounouchi, and Honda is mentioned in Chapter 09—and yes, I've been planning this since then. Sorry it's taken me 30 chapters to make that bit of information relevant!

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Let me show you how that first night should have gone," Kaiba implored as he started trailing kisses along Yami's neck. It was something that Kaiba had long contemplated ever since and now with everything that had occurred in his office, Kaiba felt a need to be closer to Yami, to reaffirm their connection in a way that a desk and chair would never allow._

Believe it or not, we're actually in the home stretch on this story. It's currently projected to end with Chapter 41 and I don't see that changing at this late point. I can hardly believe it, especially since it feels like there's still a lot left to explore with these Forbidden boys. But that's what potential sequels are for, I suppose.

The other news is that I've started a new story that's pure comedy. After so much heaviness here, I think it would be a nice change of pace. It's Kaiba and Yami, definitely M rated, in the comedy/romance categories, and it should be a lot of fun! Maybe I'll post it before I tackle the emotional L&F?

Regardless, the next to last update of Forbidden will go up **Sunday, August 1st**.

As always, thanks for your support! I can hardly believe I've been working on this story for almost a full year now...


	40. Chapter 40: Full Circle

**A/N:** This has a **lemon** between Kaiba and Yami, as well as **important news** at the end of the chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 40: Full Circle**

Yami immediately recognized the room when they entered as the place he had first met Kaiba at the brothel, the hotel suite. It felt like it had been forever ago since Yami had first entered the room and everything had changed between them and their relationship. Yami was about to ask Kaiba why he had brought him back to the room, but the deep kiss he received was a good indication of his reasoning.

"Let me show you how that night should have gone," Kaiba implored as he started trailing kisses along Yami's neck. It was something that Kaiba had long contemplated ever since and now with everything that had just occurred in his office, Kaiba felt a need to be closer to Yami, to reaffirm their connection in a way that a desk and chair would never allow.

"What should I call you this time?" Yami asked by way of consent, blushing shyly much like he had that night.

"Seto," Kaiba told him, wanting to hear his forbidden name moaned at the height of ecstasy in defiance of all the rules that had constrained him for years.

Nodding in understanding, Yami offered no resistance as his shirt was pulled off and cast aside. Despite the stressful encounter upstairs, Yami found himself relaxing at the familiarity of being with Kaiba, his body giving itself over to his skillful touch that was an effectively pleasurable distraction from it all. He had an idea of what Kaiba had in mind and Yami found himself eager for what was to come.

Stripping himself with the efficiency of years of practice, Kaiba divested them both of their clothing as he edged them closer to the enormous bed. Yami laid back on it, remembering how erratically complicated his emotions had been that night and he smiled as he felt a different kind of nervousness, felt a flutter of anticipation for what was to come rather than the fear of the unknown. He admired Kaiba's body in a way he had been too shy to do before, arched up shamelessly under his touch in a way he never would have allowed himself to do before that night.

Kaiba took his time kissing his ways along Yami's body, as If he were cataloguing every possible inch as belonging to him and no one else. He allowed himself to explore Yami in a way that previously would have gotten him severely punished, but even now he couldn't help but think it would have been worth it if it wouldn't have put Yami in harm's way. It was still so hard to escape from the threat of Gozaburo's shadow sometimes, but Kaiba persevered and pleasured Yami's body in spite of it all, losing himself amongst the heated flesh and breathy moans that stirred his desire like few things had before.

There were few words between them as Kaiba continued, although Yami felt a thrill of anticipation thrum through him when Kaiba procured lube from an unknown place and started to slick him up once more. It made him remember what Kaiba had said to him that night about all the things he had imagined doing to him before and Yami's body rocked against the fingers at the mere thought of it.

Kaiba loved how responsive Yami was being to his touch and he didn't spend long preparing him since he was still ready from their earlier round. He was eager to burry himself deep inside of that welcoming heat, to take his rightful place within Yami that belonged to him and him alone. When he heard Yami breathlessly groan his name in a subtle hint to move things along, Kaiba withdrew his fingers and smirked at Yami's unintentional whimper of protest.

Lubing himself up and then wiping his fingers clean on the bed sheets, Kaiba kissed Yami as he penetrated him slowly, enjoying the slow spread and feeling of his rival's body accommodating his girth and taking him in fully. It felt like a return to the start and a new beginning all at the same time as the familiar sensation still managed to feel new with the tenderness of the actions. Appreciating the experience as he never had been able to previously, Kaiba set a slow and deliberate pace, his hands feathering tactile kisses all over Yami's body as they moved.

All Yami could focus on were the sensations and Kaiba, reaching out with his hands to hold him that much closer, to draw him nearer. He never would have been able to accept this sort of thing that night, but now he craved it when it came to Kaiba. When he was with Bakura, he had never dared to go so far, even though the teen had pushed hard for it; somehow it just never felt right, never felt like something that Yami wanted. And yet now, Yami couldn't imagine not being with Kaiba so intimately as they moved in sync, understanding their actions and accommodating them to echo their pleasure to further heights.

Kaiba felt like there should have been words between them, felt as if there were things that needed to be said, but he didn't want to complicate things any further. His everything was Yami in that moment, amazing as it was that the singular presence of the slight teen managed to obliterate the enormity of all that was Gozaburo in that moment. For now, it was only the two of them moving as one in order to become closer still.

Yami managed to moan, "Seto," repeatedly, loving every time Kaiba reciprocated with a growl of need that went straight through him. His hands aimlessly wandered all over Kaiba's body, but finally settled for embedding in his brunette hair, using the hold to bring them closer together for a kiss that was quickly broken apart when a gasp ripped through Yami at the shift in angles. Everything felt hyper-sensitive from their earlier activities on the desk and Yami's body was shivering from the onslaught of pleasure, his hips bucking hard into Kaiba's hand when it wrapped around his length.

Kaiba stroked Yami in time with the pace that was picking up as they reacted naturally out of habit, wanting to hit their peak and yet wanting to draw it out all at the same time. Yami came first with a loud moan that had Kaiba's name somewhere in it, but the brunette wasn't close to done yet. He kept thrusting into Yami's body, loving how his tired lover tried to keep up with him anyway. It was a heady feeling to know Yami's body in such a way, to be with him with no barriers between them in the place that had forced Kaiba to erect so many in the first place. He just wasn't ready for it to end quite yet, so Kaiba kept his pace, mindful of Yami's body in the event that he needed to stop for his comfort.

Yami's body kept undulating in pleasure as little mewls escape from him, only somewhat aware of how it was slowly chipping away at Kaiba's reserves. The breathless way that Yami kept calling out to him was what finally drew Kaiba to his end as he came hard with a shudder as he thrust until empty. Only then did he still, looking at Yami's flushed expression of affection and reached forward with his clean hand to brush against his cheek.

Once again, Kaiba felt there was a need for words, but none would come to him as he slowly kissed Yami, suckling on his lower lip playfully before parting. When Kaiba pulled out, Yami squirmed a little as he felt the aftermath of their coupling following suit; it was something he still hadn't quite gotten used to yet. Still, he wasn't quite ready to get up and go to the shower, so he held out his arms to Kaiba who hesitated for a moment before lying down by Yami's side and allowing the embrace.

Kaiba listened to the quickened beat of Yami's heart from their activities slowly calm in their peaceful moment. Even though he still felt weird being the one held, Kaiba didn't object to it; he just accepted the affectionate gesture and the stray tracings of his fingers languidly over pale skin. It felt good, it felt safe, and more importantly still, it felt like something that Kaiba wanted for himself.

* * *

Yami hadn't realized he had fallen asleep until he woke up and saw Kaiba sleeping on his chest, his face looking younger than his years as his guards were lowered in his restful state. It made Yami smile sleepily at the sight, wishing that he could see more of it, but knowing that these sorts of moments were few and far between. The instant Yami moved his hand against Kaiba's shoulder, the brunette awoke with a startled flinch as he jerked up on instant guard. It made Yami feel bad, but he said nothing as Kaiba slumped back down onto him and exhaled heavily.

Kaiba hated his own reaction, but there were too many years of programming that warned him against the punishment of what would happen whenever he fell asleep during brothel time. He wondered if he would ever stop reacting to what he had been through, if there would ever be a time when he would escape from the shadows of his past and what he had endured. Although even Kaiba had to admit, there was a benefit in having developed stamina, even if Yami wasn't able to fully keep up with him yet.

Only an hour had passed since they had fallen asleep, so Kaiba didn't worry himself any further over it. Besides, he knew Ishi would find him if something major had come up during that time. That was another benefit of his new position, was being able to finally reward her with anything and everything in his powers for staying so loyal to him through it all. It had been a relief to know she fully intended to stay by his side and support him still and she was paid the highest salary next to his own. However, it wasn't out of favoritism or a sense of duty; she was damn good at her job and he was continually surprised by her managerial skills.

"Shower?" Kaiba suggested as he forced his sluggish body to move away from the comforting warmth of embrace.

"Yeah," Yami agreed, feeling sticky in a way that made him want to get clean.

Walking into the bathroom, Yami shivered at the cold marble and from the memory of what had happened the last time he had been in that specific shower after that first night. It was almost embarrassing to realize how reserved he had acted, but it was all a learning experience that Yami didn't regret. They were free of it and that was all that mattered now.

Once they were inside and under the spray of the water, Kaiba couldn't help but want to provoke Yami a little as he held him close and let his hands follow the path of the water down to that pert ass he so adored. "So is this what Ishi did to you that night?" Kaiba teased as he nipped playfully at Yami's sensitive ears.

"No," Yami denied through a groan, heat returning to his cheeks as he felt Kaiba's fingers probing near his entrance.

Chuckling in amusement, Kaiba let the issue go in favor of reminding Yami, "Do you remember how you touched me that night?"

"Please stop talking," Yami pleaded as tried to ignore the urge to hide from his embarrassment.

"Why? It's a fond memory for me," Kaiba countered as enjoyed the rub of their skin under the water.

Yami neglected to add that the memory of that encounter had led to him getting hard every time he took a shower for at least the week after the incident, instead settling for an indignant huff. His otherwise silence made Kaiba continue, "Would you object to me keeping this floor?"

This time it was Yami's turn to ask, "Why?" He didn't understand why Kaiba would want to, let alone why he was asking for what seemed like Yami's permission.

"For us," Kaiba answered, rather taken with the idea since he was partial to a few of the suites despite the clientele that he had been forced to share them with over the years. "After all, there's a few rooms you've yet to see…"

"Such as?" Yami questioned, his curiosity starting to get the best of him.

"That's what I'm asking you to find out," Kaiba replied with a smirk as he started to kiss Yami heatedly.

"Okay," Yami breathlessly agreed when they parted, liking the idea that they always had a place to go where it could just be the two of them.

The rest of the shower progressed quickly from there as they actually took the time to wash themselves clean. Only then did they exit the shower and return to the bedroom, Kaiba taking the time to pull back the top cover before they got back into bed. This time it was Yami who was curled up on Kaiba's chest, his fingers slowly trailing along his shoulder and arms, just indulging in the quiet moment that such a place should never have seen.

Yami had almost drifted asleep again when a soft knock on the door stirred him from his almost-rest. Kaiba called out for them to enter and Ishi walked into the room with a polite bow as she approached. Instead of the colored wig she used to wear, her natural black hair was done in an ornate updo that was elegantly fashionable, with a few strands hanging down to frame her face and further enhance her natural beauty. Yami instantly felt his cheeks flush as the woman once again saw him naked in a compromising position and Kaiba's laugh did nothing to assuage his embarrassment.

"It's good to see you again, Yami-sama," Ishi greeted him with a genuine smile, internally cooing at how adorable the couple looked as they lazed in the aftermath that she was reluctant to draw Kaiba way from now.

"It'd be better if I was wearing clothes," Yami muttered as he resisted the urge to hide his face against Kaiba's chest and pull up the covers.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Ishi teased with a wink that made Yami blush harder as Kaiba laughed at the exchange.

The sound was beautiful to Yami and he loved the way it sounded from his position, but Yami still scowled at being the brunt of the joke. He felt mildly better when Kaiba's hand ruffled his hair slightly in reassurance before drifting around his waist to hold him closer. "What'd you need?" Kaiba finally asked Ishi, knowing she wouldn't have entered without a reason.

The playfulness left her countenance at once as she went into business mode to announce, "You have a visitor that I thought it best to ask you about before dismissing him."

"Oh, I bet I only need one guess to know who," Kaiba commented with an irritated growl. He had been expecting the visit ever since Gozaburo's death and Kaiba was honestly surprised that it had taken so long for the man to show up and cause trouble. "I'm surprised that bastard managed to hold out this long before showing up."

"Yes, but he more than made up for it with his grand entrance," Ishi sarcastically commented with a roll of her eyes that made Yami wonder just what the hell was happening.

"I can imagine," Kaiba commented with his own eye roll at the thought of Pegasus barging in and making all kinds of a spectacle of himself. "Hn, like he needs to do anything else to draw attention to himself? I can't stand that bastard."

"Would you like me to send him away?" she questioned with a gleam in her eyes that made Yami wonder if there wasn't something more to her sadistic side after all.

Although it was a tempting offer, Kaiba knew better than to take it; he had to face his own problems and it was enough to know that Ishi had bought him a little extra time. "No, because then he'll just keep coming back until he gets what he wants," Kaiba refused, holding back an irritated sigh. "I'll go, just buy me a few minutes to get ready."

"As you wish, sir," Ishi acknowledged with a bow before swiftly making her exit to do as she was told.

Once she shut the door, Kaiba sat up with a swear as he tried desperately to think of any way out of the unpleasant situation. He was startled by the feeling of Yami hugging him from behind, but Kaiba didn't reject the comfort. "What's going on?" Yami asked, his chin resting on Kaiba's shoulder.

"He's one of oto—Gozaburo's old associates," Kaiba started to explain, tripping himself up over his old form of address for his adoptive father; there was just something about the room that made him feel the need to say, "Otou-sama," instead of the bastard's name.

Yami heard the slip, but said nothing of it. "What's so bad about that?" Yami questioned, knowing that there were plenty of things that could be wrong with anyone that Gozaburo associated with previously.

Kaiba hated Pegasus J. Crawford with a passion, mostly because he was a pedophilic creep that Gozaburo had threatened on more than one occasion to send Mokuba to work at his Industrial Illusions brothel that catered to such a crowd. The mere thought of hearing Pegasus call him "Kaiba-boy" was enough to make his blood boil in rage, but Kaiba tried not to let himself get riled up too much; it would put him at a severe disadvantage for his meeting. "This is going to take awhile," Kaiba finally said, not wanting to get into details with Yami. "You should probably go home."

"I'd rather wait for you," Yami insisted, wanting to be there to offer what comfort he could under the circumstances.

Reaching up and giving a light squeeze to the arms embracing him, Kaiba said, "Thanks, but it's not necessary tonight."

"If you say so," Yami finally consented, feeling a bit disappointed. Even though he told himself that he had already stayed hours past what his original intention had been, it didn't matter when he thought about what Kaiba was going to be facing.

Pulling himself from Yami's embrace, Kaiba left his clothes on the floor and went over to the hidden closet and pulled out a fresh suit to wear. Dressing quickly with the ease of experience, he caught sight of Yami watching him through the mirror. He saw the flush once again creeping back into Yami's cheeks as he appreciated the view of Kaiba in a suit and it made the brunette chuckle to himself.

Walking over to the bed and kissing Yami goodbye, Kaiba told him, "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Good luck," Yami offered, not knowing what else to say.

"He's going to need it," Kaiba said with a wolfish smirk that was sexy despite its promise of a very real threat.

With those words, Yami was once again left alone and he flopped back down onto the bed, burrowing into the pillow with a heavy sigh as he tried to get his composure back into order. He felt like he should have been more upset about the Bakura revelation than he was, but Kaiba was worth too much to him to give up to Gozaburo's machinations, cruel and evil as they may have been. Besides, it wasn't like he was going to have to see Bakura again, so what difference did it make?

Yami was startled out of his thoughts when Ishi reappeared after another soft knock. It made Yami instantly regret not getting under the covers when he had a chance and he peeked out at her from the pillow as she walked over and sat down on the bed next to him.

"He'll be fine, that man isn't interested in him at all," Ishi reassured Yami, clearly seeing the worry written all over his demeanor.

"Then why is he here?" Yami asked, not understanding.

"Because he's hoping to have better luck with Seto-sama than he did with the other bastard," Ishi explained, refusing to ever speak that horrible man's name again unless it was to curse it to the deepest level of hell possible. "He won't succeed, though."

"That's good," Yami commented without comprehension, although he did feel the tiniest bit better at the reassurance, knowing the woman wouldn't lie to him.

Reaching out and taking Yami's hand to give it a light squeeze, she smiled down at him as she said, "Thanks for being there for him."

"I should be saying the same to you," Yami returned, knowing that Ishi's support had probably helped Kaiba out in more ways than he could ever hope to understand.

Laughing lightly, she waved it away and knew that there were no words needed to explain to Yami. "I'm glad he has someone like you by his side," Ishi told Yami, knowing that she could never really say it enough. She was about to say something further when a beep interrupted them. Reaching up and touching a small, silver KC badge on the high collar of her uniform, she activated her end of the line. "Yes?"

"Onee-san, we're having a slight problem when Kirimi-san tries to log into the system," one of the front desk women informed Ishi through the hidden earpiece she was wearing.

"I'll be down momentarily," Ishi informed the girl before disconnecting with another light tap on the KC logo. "It appears there's no rest for the wicked after all. Do you require any assistance from me before I go?"

Chuckling at her playfulness, even though he was a bit mystified by the one sided conversation he had just witnessed, Yami said, "No, I'm good. I'll see you later, then."

"Looking forward to it," Ishi replied with a flash of something Yami would have sworn was a perverse leer before she turned and walked back toward the door.

Rolling over to look out the window once she was gone, Yami lingered a little longer as he admired the view. Even though he knew he should leave, Yami still was hesitant to leave until he knew the full extent of whatever was occurring with Kaiba; it was just too troublesome to know that some part of Gozaburo's past was interfering with the present once again. Besides, he was still a bit worn out from their earlier activities combined with the emotional outburst from before and wasn't quite up to moving yet.

Deciding it was okay to stay just a little bit longer, Yami didn't even notice when he drifted to sleep.

* * *

Somehow Kaiba wasn't surprised when he checked the cameras and saw Yami soundly asleep on the bed, right where he left him. Although Kaiba's first reaction was to be a bit miffed that Yami hadn't listened, there was a part of him that was a little bit glad that he had been disobeyed. On impulse, Kaiba picked up the phone and dialed the Game Shop, not sure whether or not to be relieved when Yuugi's grandfather picked up instead of the teen. "Good evening, Mutou-san," Kaiba politely greeted the older man, instantly falling back on his brothel manners, "this is Kaiba Seto calling."

"Ah, Kaiba-kun," Sugoroku warmly returned before turning serious, "I'm sorry to hear about your loss."

"Thank you, it's appreciated," Kaiba replied with the ease lent to him from giving the same pat response.

"If there's anything we can help you with, please let me know," Sugoroku offered, before refocusing the conversation on Kaiba's original intentions. "Now what can I do for you today?"

"I was wondering if it would be a problem for Yami to spend the night over at my place," Kaiba awkwardly requested, wondering if it sounded as weird as it felt to say. "He offered to help me settle in my new apartment and—"

Sugoroku interrupted Kaiba to grant permission with an enthusiastic, "It's not a problem at all," knowing that Yami was the kind of boy who would volunteer his help. It was a bit surprising to hear that Yuugi hadn't also offered to assist, but Sugoroku was sure that he had his reasons. "He can stay the whole weekend if that makes it easier. I know these things take time."

"That's very generous of you," Kaiba thanked him, wondering with a slight perverse thrill if the older man would still grant permission if he had any clue what they would be up to. It actually was a bit of a relief because Mokuba was going to be gone all weekend on his class trip to Kyoto; this way Kaiba wouldn't have to deal with the mansion on his own if he chose to go back with Yami. "I'll run it by him later and have him get to back to you, if that's okay."

"That's fine," Sugoroku agreed, hoping that it would do Kaiba some good to have a friend in his time of need. "If you need anything else, don't hesitate to call."

"Thanks," Kaiba replied with sincerity before hanging up and deciding it was about time to wake up Yami and give him the good news.

* * *

"You could have at least covered up," Kaiba muttered when he reentered the hotel suite room and saw Yami's sleeping nude form, almost feeling bad for the way his rival was curled up on himself to conserve heat.

Stripping down and littering his clothes along the casualties from their earlier encounter, Kaiba joined Yami in bed before pulling the covers over both of them. The encounter with Pegasus was draining, especially when Kaiba started to wonder who else would crawl out of the woodwork to challenge his new position. It hadn't been as bad as Kaiba had feared, but it had been a less than pleasant all the same.

Yami woke up from all the movement of Kaiba positioning himself and he squinted against the nightstand light. "Seto?" he asked uncertainly, his voice thick with sleep.

"Who else would it be?" Kaiba chided, ignoring his paranoid inner voice that answered with the name of a certain white haired former employee.

Murmuring incoherently as he curled up around Kaiba's warmth, Yami started to drift off again until he got prodded gently in the side. "Hn?" Yami groaned, blindly gesturing at the light as if that would make it go away.

Obliging Yami and leaning over to turn off the lamp, Kaiba informed him, "I spoke to your grandfather."

"Jii-chan?" Yami asked, his mind fighting to consciousness in his concern.

"He gave you permission to spend the weekend with me," Kaiba smugly informed Yami, chuckling at the confused noise the information caused.

"Really?"

Lightly running his hand over Yami's ass, Kaiba teased, "And the best part is, he'll think you're sore from helping me move."

"Later," Yami protested, not quite up to another round just yet.

"We've got all weekend," Kaiba agreed with a kiss on Yami's forehead before indulging in the chance to rest up while he had the opportunity.

* * *

**A/N:** I know last week I said that there was going to be two more chapters, but **this is the final chapter**. That means Forbidden is now concluded. I've been working on it for almost a year and it's hard to believe I finally finished it! I couldn't have done it without your continued support and I'm really honored by your continued kindness. This has by far been my most popular story and I'm thrilled that so many people took a chance on it!

There will _eventually_ be a **sequel**. Unfortunately, I have no current time frame for it and none of it is written. However, I have a few different ideas for it and I hope to do something with them before too long.

**UPDATE SCHEDULE:**

**Sunday, August 8th:** I will be concluding Endless Loop's _Anywhen, Anywhere_.

**Sunday, August 15th:** There will be **no update**. I'm traveling that week and won't have time to post anything—however, I'll do my best to work on something.

**Sunday, August 22nd:** I'm going to start my newest story, which is yet untitled, but I've been calling it the _Doujinshi-ka Fic_. It's a lighthearted, M rated Prideshipping comedy and I think we'll need it after all this drama. The story is currently slated for eight chapters, which will allow me to get a good start on _Entangled's_ **Lost and Found**. I know some of you will be disappointed that L&F is getting pushed back again, but I'd rather delay it a little bit right now, rather than have huge delays in the middle of it because of my dissertation.

As always, **update notifications** will be posted regularly on my Livejournal and Twitter accounts, as well as in the author's notes of the upcoming chapters.

So thank you again to all of my wonderful readers and reviewers. I've loved getting a chance to hear your thoughts on this AU experiment and I hope to meet you all again in the next fic!


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